Sunken Destiny
by Team Alpha Wolf Squadron
Summary: Merman AU: Merlin accidently gets caught in his mischief making causing destiny to start unravelling itself.
1. Chapter 1

It was that time of the month again Merlin mused. Playfully batting a chain around he waited for the tell tale boat to emerge onto the lake. For months now a blonde man had been circling the waters of his lake, Merlin had spied him from afar when he had decided to eat one time. It had been a mistake, one look at that golden hair and he had refused to kill the blonde. Instead he followed the trail of the boat as it made its way along the water.

Sure enough it floated above him minutes later. Smirking slightly he floated up and under the boat, swimming beneath it and knocking it every now and then. He wondered what had the blonde returning to the lake like clockwork as he tipped it up threateningly. The cloak Merlin had stole showed that he was high born and most likely a noble. Noblemen usually kept themselves in castles, not rowing themselves across lakes.

He had contemplated a knight and this seemed like the most reasonable explanation if it weren't for the blondes lack of a party. Knights travelled in packs and yet this one was alone every time he came.

Sighing he swam to the front of the boat and pushed back a little against the man's rowing. A muffled grunt from above showed that he had succeeded in slowing down his journey. Tiring of this after a while he returned to the bottom and flicked his tail lazily at the wood.

The boat was nearing the shores so Merlin stopped and circled to his usual hiding spot to watch the blonde get out. He took a satchel and his sword from the boat, leaving the oars for his return, and left towards the trees.

Merlin counted the minutes away before he swam as close to the boat he could. There was nothing in it now save for the smell of human. His teeth bit painfully at his lips at the prospect of meat but Merlin ignored it. This human was more interesting alive than dead.

He tried reaching out towards the boat but all it did was drag his tail more painfully on the lakes rocks. Scowling he knew there was nothing for it but to use some of his magic. Having been born with it moving a boat from its anchor was nothing. A simple will at the boat to come to him and it did. When it got near enough he dragged it further out until his tail wasn't too cramped and looked inside.

Boats were usually wrecked when they reached his home, the most intact one he had seen was just the front end of one. Boats above the surface therefore were always something to admire. This one was rather plain looking with nothing more fancy in its wood than what it needed to float. Disappointed Merlin circled it again and looked around his lake for some place to put it. It was always fun messing with the blonde. He had discovered that when he knocked the boat accidentally the first time. The first exclamation of fright had Merlin simmering in glee.

"What the hell are you doing with my boat!" Came the shout. Merlin froze then turned and saw the blonde standing horrified at the riverbank.

Thinking quickly he took hold of the boats rope and called back "It was floating off, thought I'd get it for you," He held the rope up.

The blonde scowled "Give it here, now!"

Merlin swam as far as he could and held the rope out to him. The blonde didn't move, "It's not that deep," Merlin told him.

"It doesn't matter how deep it is. Give it here," He held out his hand. Merlin looked at it, shrugged and threw the rope as far as he could. It landed in the shallows which made the man look even more furious. Merlin heard him mutter to himself when it became apparent that Merlin wasn't going to move the rope closer to him. Three swift yanks and the blonde was safely back in his boat and pushing off into the lake. "You'd best get to the bank," He advised passing.

"And why's that?" Merlin queried, keeping pace with the boat.

The blonde gave him a patronising look which turned worried the further out they got "The water's dangerous. So either go to the bank or get in the boat," He offered holding his hand out to Merlin. There was a ring on one of his fingers. It shined in the sunlight and reminded Merlin of some chainmail they would strip from their victims.

"It doesn't seem that dangerous," Merlin muttered. The man made a grab for him as the boat went deeper into the lake. Avoiding easily, Merlin swam around to the other side of the boat "Is it because you can't swim that it's dangerous?"

"I can swim!" The blonde retorted making another grab at him "And no, it's not that you idiot! This lake's infested with monsters. One wiff of you and you'll be pulled under. So I'm telling you again, get in the boat!"

Merlin pretended to think about it "No," He swam off a bit and watched as the blonde paddled after him "I can swim faster than your boat, so I wouldn't bother if I were you," Merlin commented.

The blonde ignore the teasing "Stop swimming off and get in the boat! Who knows what's already caught your scent," Nothing, Merlin thought, but I've definitely caught yours.

"I'd rather stay here thank you," he grinned enjoying the look of frustration on the blondes face.

He didn't seem to like Merlin making fun of him and soon turned to threats "Get in the boat now or I swear I'll make sure you never swim again."

"And how are you going to manage that?" Merlin swam over to knock the boat slightly making the blonde clutch the sides.

"Tell me, do you know how to walk on your knees?" He seethed.

"No."

"You will by the time I'm done with you," He promised.

Merlin sighed "All this talk of mutilation really makes me want to get in there with you now," He told him sarcastically.

Seeming to think he'd won some ground the blonde declared "You know, you can't talk to me like that." Did he not understand sarcasm? Or was Merlin's tone off?

"Like what?" Merlin asked "Like you're a prat, because you are one."

He huffed in anger "You can't speak to me like that!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise you needed some respectful title," Merlin smirked. The blonde seemed to find that funny as well since he too smirked.

"Actually I do being royalty an' all," Merlin frowned. So he wasn't a knight after all. "And as the prince I'm telling you to get in this boat and stop disrespecting me."

"No," Merlin told him but nevertheless rested his head on the side of the boat. The blonde gave up trying to move him after a few minutes and paddled on towards the end of the lake. All the while Merlin drifted along with him. They had almost reached the shallows when Merlin asked his name.

"Arthur Pendragon," In an arrogant tone that said Merlin should already know this.

He removed himself from the boat as the water made way for land. The blonde waited patiently for him to catch up, then removed himself when he didn't Making a defensive stance he waited again at the shore for Merlin to come out.

"You can't stay in there," Arthur told him. Merlin was rather happy to put a name to the blondes face.

"Sure I can," He replied dreamily, watching the light catch off the man's sword.

"No you can't. Haven't you been listening to a thing I've told you. There are monsters living in there! If my father hears of another missing or dead person, just because I couldn't get you out of the water, then I'm going to-" He cut himself short. Merlin amusedly thought the rest of that sentence had his father telling him off which sounded rather childish to Merlin. No wonder he cut himself off. "Just get out now and hopefully the mermaids won't know you've been there."

Mermaids? How rude, mermen lived there too, he was living proof. "I doubt they'll bother me," He started backing away from the blonde. Sinking deeper as Arthur made a step towards the water. The last thing he heard was a shout as his head submerged and then he was gone.

Merlin contented himself until the next time Arthur visited by helping his mother fashion another lyre out of old human cast-offs. Still hauntingly beautiful Merlin sat and listened to her strum songs his father had sung her before he went back into hiding. It was a lovely tale of his parents meeting. His father was a sorcerer on the run from a king. He'd heard his mother singing in the lake one day and returned the next and the day after in the hopes to hear her again. At the fifth he struck lucky and saw her singing to a passing fisherman, the next day he went onto the lake in his own boat and sang the song she had sung to the fisherman to the lake. Finding out she was a creature of the water hadn't hindered their love. Magic had a way of bending the rules enough to let them be together, however briefly. The twentieth day of their love affair his father had taken his mother back to the lake in a panic and turned her back into a mermaid. She never saw him again, but every year on the day they met, she goes up and sings along the lake hoping he'll come back to her.

"Still," She'd tell him "At least I have you," A little surprise he left her when Merlin was born. Half human his first days had been a struggle but his magic had made it so he adapted quickly to life underwater. His mother often wondered if he could survive above land but they didn't want to try it in case he couldn't.

"He's a bit annoying," Merlin told her as she fashioned another lyre. "Not to mention arrogant."

"All this from speaking to him one time?" She tutted. "Honestly Merlin."

He pouted. His mother wasn't' supposed to make fun of him, she was meant to be on his side. "I could tell all I needed to from that one time," He mumbled strumming absently on a string. She rolled her eyes and let him rant some more.

By the time Arthur's visit neared his mother urged him to "Be careful Merlin. It's a wonder others haven't started approaching Arthur." He may have had something to do with that. Still he bade his mother goodbye and made his way towards the wrecked boats.

Swimming in and out of holes his friends had made he watched the surface for the telling ripples of the blonde's approach. When the first one appeared Merlin smiled in joy and made his way under the boat.

Not wanting to reveal himself just yet he contented himself with knocking the boat more violently this time from underneath. Hearing the Arthur gasp had him laughing. When the girly squeal came Merlin frowned. He hadn't known Arthur to make a sound like that yet. Rocking the boat again a feminine voice cried out.

Stopping Merlin swam to the edge of the lake and looked up and out at the boat. Three figures were in it this time alongside Arthur. Another male, blonde with curly locks rowed with a tense back. The other two were females, both dark haired with hoods obscuring the rest of their features.

This wasn't right. Never before had Arthur brought others. Why now? Intent on finding out Merlin glided over. The blonde manning the oars saw his approach and drew his sword menacingly. Arthur steadied the man's hand when he saw it was Merlin.

"You seriously have a death wish don't you," Was his greeting.

Smirking, Merlin propped himself on the side of the boat "It's good to see you too. Who are your friends?" He smiled in the ladies direction.

"None of your buisness peasant," The blonde told him. One of the girls scoffed. "Now get in the boat before you're killed."

Rolling his eyes Merlin muttered "Not this again." He swam closer to the ladies side and out of the blonde man's reach.

"You're wasting your breath Leon. I spent all of my last trip trying to convince him to get in. It seems that- er,"

"Merlin," He supplied.

"Merlin," Arthur rolled his eyes "Has an urge to die young."

"Do you always swim naked?" One of the girls asked. The other one giggled into her hand, blushing slightly.

"Only when there's beautiful women to admire me," He winked causing both of them to laugh.

"Merlin," Arthur growled.

"Oh do shut up Arthur," The green eyed one snapped. "Sorry about him, I dread to think how he treated you last time. You must have felt the lake was more comfortable than sitting with him. I know I do," She scowled in his direction and he pouted back.

"Well he did threaten me," Merlin told her trying for some sympathy. They just laughed instead.

She offered her hand "Do sit with us. It'll be nice to have some civilised conversation," She shot at Arthur pointedly.

"I hate to point it out My Lady but the man's naked, as you pointed out. It would be inappropriate for him to join you in that state," The blonde was still scowling at Merlin. He probably perceived him as some unwanted voyeur at their secret dip in the lake. If only he knew how much more dangerous Merlin was.

"Then give him your cloak," She reasoned.

"It's alright," Merlin told her "I don't need a cloak. Your escort's right that it'd be inappropriate. To be honest I just came over to see who was out on the lake. I'd better get back to..." He trailed pointing behind him.

He dunked under before one of them could protest and watched the boat sail off to the shore. Looking down he realised that the boats recent journey had acquired an audience. Three girls were huddled together watching Merlin and looking at the boat repeatedly. He hissed to ward them off and accompanied the boat back to the other side when they returned.

Arthur's next visit had him coming solo. Merlin hadn't really been expecting him since it had only been two weeks since he had left with his entourage. Singing a deer to its doom he hadn't noticed the boat on the lake since he was too focused on making the deer swim towards him.

When something bumped into his back, that's when he noticed. Turning he saw the butt of an oar at his back and Arthur drifting off over it.

"I didn't know you could sing," was Merlin's greeting this time.

"Er, yeah. It's a talent of mine," He stammered. Arthur had took him completely off guard.

Humming he noticed the deer for the first time "What are you doing?" The dreamy look was gone and replaced with blatant confusion and arrogance.

Thinking quickly Merlin said "Offering something to the mermaids. I thought if I could get the deer in the water they would go after it instead of me."

Arthur playfully contemplated Merlin's excuse "Or you could just stay out of the water."

Hissing through his teeth he commented that "I like swimming here too much to do that." He came over to the boat and sorrowfully abandoned his meal in favour of getting Arthur to the other side of the lake. "So what brings you out here again?"

"I can't tell you," He had started rowing again which was a good sign. His tone had come back as well.

"Who were those women you were with last time?" Merlin asked instead.

Again "I can't tell you."

"Is there anything you can tell me?" he demanded.

Arthur stopped rowing and looked him dead in the face "You have a lovely singing voice." Merlin felt his cheeks colouring slightly "If it wasn't for your lack of brains I'd offer you a chance to sing at the castle," And he ruined it.

"I don't think I'd like to sing there even if I did have brains," Merlin retorted "Their standard for what constitutes royalty is quite appalling."

Arthur barked a laugh "You can't talk to me like that," He reiterated.

"And yet I do," He started singing again to stop Arthur from snapping at him. He was rather enjoying having the blonde all to himself, his last visit had left Merlin in a sour mood.

He also enjoyed the dreamy look that overcame anyone that heard his kind sing. On Arthur it turned his face slack with what looked like stupidity. He kept his tone light so Arthur remained enough sense to keep rowing and not listen to Merlin. That was how they drew their victims in, sing the right song and people were just asking you to drown them.

He stopped when they reached the shore where Arthur shook himself from his doze and got out of his boat. Looking back at Merlin as he went into the trees had the merman wondering how susceptible Arthur was under Merlin's singing. He could probably get him to spill all sorts of secrets if he asked right. Putting that thought away from later Merlin called Arthur's boat to him again and set it loose on the lake, after all the man did just cost him his meal.

He sat himself in his little hiding place and lounged in the sun warmed water for Arthur to return. A muttered curse had Merlin upright and watching Arthur edge around the lake. The man walked too and fro, stopping now and then to shout abuse at his waylaid boat. Merlin laughed into his hand to muffle the sound. Every now and then Arthur would dip his toes into the water but pull back abruptly.

It was when a shouted "Merlin!" reached his ears that he finally revealed himself .

"Something wrong?" He asked innocently.

Arthur pointed to his boat "You couldn't have kept an eye on it," He seethed.

"I was busy," Merlin shrugged.

"Too busy being a bloody idiot!" Arthur stormed back and forth again. Merlin was getting rather tired of being called stupid. If anyone was lacking brains it was Arthur. Didn't he find it suspicious that Merlin kept appearing at the lake?

"You know you could be nicer," Merlin told him.

Arthur wasn't hearing it "Nicer! My way back's gone! I can call you whatever the hell I want because you were too busy swanning around the lake to notice my boat floating off!"

"You know the 'swanning off' around the lake you accused me of doing could get you to the other side just as fast as a boat," Merlin told him.

The prospect of going in the water himself had Arthur pulling his foot violently back from the edge. "I don't fancy being eaten thank you," Arthur ran a hand down his face and gazed at the boat contemplatively.

"I could go over and fetch it for you," Merlin offered.

Arthur shook his head and walked back into the trees. Figuring he went to find another way around the lake Merlin went to the middle of the lake again to float in the sun. Hearing a splash had him looking back to where Arthur had disappeared to and found the blonde heaving something behind him.

Curious Merlin swam closer and made out the shape of a deer. Arthur was huffing from the weight and was near drowning when he managed to get it in the water alongside him. Spotting him Arthur pointed to the deer.

"I thought about what you said. Do you think this will let me cross?" Merlin felt his brows leave his face. He was offering food to them? Merlin had just made that up. Then again it had Arthur in the water so perhaps it wasn't a wasted lie. For some reason seeing Arthur drenched had him happy.

He floated along the edges as Arthur finally threw the deer into the deep part of the lake. Waiting two minutes before he started swimming, Arthur started making progress towards the other shore. Merlin knew that the prince wasn't in any danger but still watched from afar as Arthur swam as fast as he could.

He left the boat where it was and staggered out while wringing his shirt. Casting one last look back at the lake he nodded to Merlin and left. Meanwhile Merlin made a dive straight for whatever was left of the deer, he was starving.

Merlin didn't see Arthur for another three weeks. All of which he spent luxuriating in the summer heat alongside his giggling kind. They had spotted a knight walk to and from the lake and had taken quite a fancy to him. It wasn't unheard of for them to let one or two people go and from the sounds of it this man had made the cut. They talked about his handsome face with glee and hoped he would come onto the water soon so they could sing to him. Merlin just flicked water on their tittering faces.

When Merlin did see Arthur it wasn't at all how he pictured it. Making his way towards his mother near the bottom he saw something glinting in the sunlight. Figuring it was some chainmail he swam over to collect it and have his mother fashion it into something only to find that it still had a body attached. It was Arthur.

Not breathing and unconscious Merlin swatted his face around to see if he could elicit a response. When none came he set his sights on the chainmail that was weighing him down. It took seconds for Merlin to give up and eventually ripping through the metal. Yet still he didn't rise to the surface. Merlin tried to drag him and even searched for somewhere he was caught but it seemed like he was just stuck in the water.

Setting his sights to the surface he called behind him for some of the others. They came and made a dive for the prince but Merlin warded them off with promises of other meat. They all looked up and across to the shore where two feet were perched delicately in the rocks.

Merlin skimmed the surface for a quick look and saw a girl, blonde and fair with blood red eyes, casting some spell towards their lake.

Relaying this to the others they were more than on board with taking down this sorceress. No one was allowed to cast magic on their lake without permission. Therefore it took seconds before those feet were dragged down to the depths with the girl screaming as she went. Despite the horrific transformation her face had taken meat was meat and mermaids weren't too picky. She was gone in a flash of teeth and talons with the dress she wore being divided up between the girls.

The spell broken Arthur lifted easily to the surface. He had almost broken it when another two feet splashed their way in. It seemed the girl wasn't alone and foolishly the man had entered the lake despite what he had just seen. He too was gone when the girls caught his scent. Merlin may have even joined in slightly when the man made a dive for the shallows.

Naturally when Merlin had gotten Arthur above the water they couldn't go on land. The other option was the boat which Merlin called towards them. Pushing the prince inside he waited for him to start breathing properly again.

When it didn't happen he remembered seeing a human rescued from their lake once, he too hadn't been breathing so one of them pounded on his chest. Replicating this Merlin had Arthur sputtering water and himself sinking back into the lake.

Coughing Arthur demanded to know "What happened? Why am I here?"

"There's this word, I believe it's called 'thank you.' Usually people say it when someone's just saved their lives," Arthur just scowled at him. Sighing Merlin complied with his wishes "You looked like you were being attacked by some witch. Do witches always have red eyes?" he asked. His mother had said his own go gold when he does magic.

Arthur was frowning "A witch. That can't be right."

"Well she was trying to drown you in any case. You were lucky I was here," He smirked.

Arthur peered suspiciously at him "Yes, I was. Tell me Merlin," He drawled sitting up "What exactly had you down at the lake this time. I'm starting to believe swimming isn't all you come here to do."

"Sorry to disappoint," Merlin shrugged "But that's all I was doing."

Arthur looked like he didn't believe him. "So were exactly is this witch you spoke of?" He asked instead looking out over the lake.

Merlin looked too and saw the ripples from where they had just emerged "The mermaids took her and the man. Did she have some grudge against you? A lady you once courted perhaps?"

"Man," This seemed to confuse him more "I don't remember anything," He ran his hand through his wet hair in frustration and stopped suddenly "Unless. Merlin what did she look like?"

Thinking back he answered "Blonde, pale, fair and red eyes."

"The man she was with, was it her father. Was her name Sophia?" Arthur urged.

Shaking his head he told him "The mermaids took them. All I saw were their appearances and some of the words they were uttering. That's why I thought she was a witch. Well, that and the fact you wouldn't come up for air until she was dead."

Arthur seemed worried by the news "I must go tell my father," He muttered and sat up properly. Pale and shaking Merlin pushed the boat most of the way to shore so Arthur didn't have to row much. Getting out he cast a look back "About what you did..."

"Saving your life?" Merlin clarified.

"That, thank you," He was half turned when he said it and practically sprinting once the words were out his mouth. Huffing a laugh Merlin went to see if there were any scraps.

He's not that good looking, Merlin thought hiding with the other merpeople. They were watching a dark haired man row himself across. Most of those watching were sighing with each flex of his shoulders.

Rolling his eyes Merlin sank back down to the depths. His mother was just finishing his present when he came in. Stealing the metal that made up Arthur's chainmail, his mother had said she would make something out of it for him.

Sure enough he was presented with a necklace when she saw him. "You know just because people think we're all called mermaids doesn't mean we're all girls," He whined taking the necklace anyway.

"Which is why I made you a manly chain instead. Look there," She pointed to the dragon she had fashioned "It was the crest your father wore as he came to see me. Apparently he was someone high up in court and had to wear the kings sigil. I thought you might like it." He did but he still complained about it.

Three days later a mermaid was screeching back into her home with others not far behind. Merlin managed to corner one and ask what happened.

Apparently the man they had spied was back on the lake. One of them had tried to approach him only for him to pull his sword out and cut her. He'd been warned about the lake then.

Since he had attacked the girl who had declared immunity for him he was fair game. Three of them had tried to take him out only to be slashed as well. He could see anarchy was breaking out ahead, the maid who had been cut along with others who had taken a fancy were trying to hold back those who wanted a bite out of him.

One of the girls came over to him and asked if he could get the man to stop fighting and start rowing. Sighing he agreed and went to the top.

The man's sword was drawn and pointed at the edge of his boat. Alternating the angle it pointed at Merlin tried to find a safe opening.

"Evening," He called. The man swung his sword in an arc and had it pointed menacingly at Merlin. He moved back slightly. "I thought I'd give you some advice and tell you to start rowing."

"And have those witches snatch me up as soon as I let my guard down?" he sneered.

Shrugging Merlin called "Fair enough," And drifted away "Enjoy being eaten."

The man called Merlin to stop "How do I know you're not deceiving me?" he seemed to be weighing his options. It was a good start.

He swam back over and perched himself on the edge of the boat "You don't. But if you do believe me then you'd best get going. The water's starting to bubble and I don't think you've made any friends here."

"She tried to drown me," Merlin snorted. "She was," he defended "She was pulling me towards her and the water." More like she was going in for a kiss.

"Still," Merlin conceded "You probably made things worse when you attacked her."

The man was looking wildly around as a bubble popped nearby "Don't suppose you know how many are living in this lake?" Did everyone think that only women could be merpeople?

He shrugged vaguely "Lots."

The man nodded and moved to the side "You'd best get in if we're going to get to the other side then. It'll be safer if one of us rows while the other defends." How had had the man went from assuming he was a potential threat to a human in a crisis?

"Er, actually I can't. See I've got this agreement with them. I'm just supposed to tell you to shift and then leave," He pointed in the other direction.

The man frowned considering "Refusing to get in the boat? You wouldn't happen to be called Merlin would you?"

Shocked "How did you know?"

The man smiled and held his hand out "Lancelot. And Arthur told me about you before I was exiled. He said that you might be here to help me across and here you are."

"Arthur talks about me?" Why did that make him happy?

"Yep," Lancelot had taken up an oar, thankfully, and was deciding whether to take the other. "He mentioned how stupid you were to trust the mermaids."

"Did he now?" Merlin scowled.

Lancelot threw away the sword and started rowing "Don't worry I didn't believe him for a second. If you ask me, making an agreement with this kind would be great. You can probably go anywhere without fear of being eaten."

Merlin nodded and chatted with Lancelot to the other side. He bade Merlin goodbye after Merlin declined joining him on his new adventures. Swimming back he found the deep in a much calmer state now that Lancelot was gone.

Arthur didn't come to the lake that month. Nor the month after. After three months Merlin admitted to himself that he had maybe taken a liking to this human. In more than just a, I like to torment you kind of way as well.

When Arthur did come the fourth month Merlin was so happy he couldn't care that he wasn't alone. The dark haired woman he had seen ages ago was with him along with the blonde knight and a number of others. Merlin was scared to approach so watched from afar as they sailed across. He dived now and then to keep the others from attacking as he did so.

Once they had reached the other bank they didn't go off into the trees. Instead they made camp along the shore. The knights made a fire and set up traps along the woods and the lake to keep their little party safe while Arthur and the woman sat around the cooking meat talking.

Night fell and Merlin went to check on them again. The fire was blazing and they were all laughing merrily around it. Merlin sank down into his own home after that. His mother had the young ones around their home. Teaching them songs they would later use on prey. Taking out one of her lyres he went to side of the lake to try and entice his own meal to come to him.

The smell of human was overpowering and unfair on his nose. Especially since he was hunting animals instead of them. Strumming he let his voice carry into the woods. Sinking into the wind's whistles and curling in the green plants that ensnared the wildlife within it.

He heard hooves after a while, large and fat it smelled meaning it couldn't be a deer. A horse emerged and walked towards him with dreamy grace. The saddle on its back was gone but the reins were still there. Chewed off where a knot had most likely been to keep it in place. Closer it came until all Merlin had to do was drag it under and let it drown.

He rose up after feeding to check on his humans. Frowning when he counted two missing he swam for a closer look. Arthur and the girl were gone. The knights had stationed themselves to watch the lake and one pointed when he caught sight of Merlin.

Rolling his eyes he figured they were singling him out to be killed and made to dive. When a voice called out "Merlin," He found out otherwise. "There you are," Arthur grinned rowing closer. Him and the girl must have taken the boat out when he was feeding. "I heard you singing but it took some time to find you."

"I was busy," He wiped his face, hoping the none of the blood still remained. "So, what brings you to the lake. Let me guess, you can't tell me."

Arthur grinned smugly "Actually I came here to see you." Confusion fell upon him so Arthur continued "I was recently injured badly-"

"Dying more like it," the girl muttered.

"And now I've recovered. It took some time for father to finally let me out and even then I needed a good excuse so I told him I was going to visit you." Merlin stilled. "I told him how nice your singing was and offered to show it to Morgana," He introduced.

The woman smiled kindly at him "I have to say I didn't believe Arthur. I thought he was just inventing your singing voice. But that..." She sighed "You really have a gift."

"Thanks," He smiled. "So are you Arthur's sister or his new recipient of affection?" She laughed.

"Neither thankfully. I'm the king's ward," She explained "Speaking of affection," She cast a side-long look at Arthur.

"Shut up," He told her and faced Merlin "So how often do you come here?"

"I practically live here if that's what you mean," Laughing so much on the inside at his little joke.

Arthur nodded like he already suspected as much. Morgana on the other hand looked worried. "Is it true that you're protected in there?"

"It is," He told her seriously.

"Still, you should at least wear something. Make it harder for them to get to your flesh," Merlin glanced down at his chest. He supposed it looked like he was naked. The skin stretched a good way down until it turned to scales.

He hummed absently "I guess, but I hate the feeling of clothes. Besides," He turned charmingly at her again "You're not the only women in this lake. And everyone knows women prefer their men barely clothed and strikingly handsome," He playfully tossed his head. She laughed merrily at him while Arthur scowled.

"Careful Merlin," He drawled "I'd hate to have to take you in for trying it on with a member of the court."

Morgana rolled her eyes at his behaviour "He's just jealous because I'm taking all your attention away."

"Who can blame him. With you here, everything else just dims in comparison," He complimented. She seemed to preen more under Merlin's words and Arthur to darken.

"I like your pendant," She pointed. He looked down to the little dragon his mother had made.

"My mother made it," He told her proudly.

"It's lovely," She complimented "What's it made from?"

Frowning Merlin told her "I don't know," it wouldn't do to tell her that he had gotten the metal from Arthur's torn chainmail.

"Shame," She made a gesturing motion and Merlin let her take hold of the pendant. "Look Arthur," She showed him "It's shaped just like Camelot's dragons."

"Hmm, so it is," He took the pendant from her "Do you live there?"

"Where?"

"Camelot," Arthur told him in that arrogant tone of his.

"No." Morgana took the pendant and handed it back to him with some reluctance. "Why don't you keep it," He offered.

"Won't your mother mind?" He shook his head. Truthfully she had another five waiting at home after he had lost the first one. "Well in that case, I'd love to keep it."

"If you two girls are finished exchanging jewellery," Arthur mocked.

Morgana turned on him "Well what else am I supposed to do? You brought me out here and so far all we've done is make a camp," She pointed towards where the knights were still keeping watch.

"Fine," He pouted and turned to Merlin "Don't suppose you'd fancy singing for us would you."

"Only if you say please," Merlin smirked. Arthur sniffed and looked haughtily away.

"Please," Morgana asked instead. "Will you come and sing around our fire?"

"No, but I will sing for you," He compromised and began his melody immediately to stop any more negotiations. Already a trance like state had overcame them.

By the end of his songs Morgana was leaning so far over the boat it would be no surprise to him if she fell in. Tempting though that was, Merlin reluctantly pushed her back in the boat. Arthur came back to reality slowly as Morgana righted herself. He slipped away quickly while they were disorientated and gave the boat a little push towards shore as he did so. It wouldn't do for him to start another conversation with them. Not when the knights had threateningly held a crossbow up as Morgana slipped forwards. He was just thankful that the boat hid his escape.

He didn't see Arthur again for another two months. Merlin figured his father had him kept busy with princely things so he contented himself with listening to the mermaids chatter about their lives. This month they had developed a game, one in which each of them were to go further than the last. By further in this case he meant in different lakes. They had the means to travel to each of them but out of necessity in numbers congregated together in this one. The furthest one of the maids had travelled was down to the borders of Camelot.

She was bragging about having seen the spires that signalled the white castle, central to the city. She had even said she saw knights coming in and out of the woods where she hid. After that it became a matter of challenge. Who was to go one step further and actually swim into the capitol itself? Naturally Merlin volunteered. The prospect of seeing where Arthur lived was too tempting to pass up.

The next day he bid goodbye to his mother and set off upstream towards the little rivers that ran into Camelot. He kept as close to the deep as he could but usually ended up looking like someone who hadn't learned to swim all that well as he dragged his tail along the rocky currents.

After five hours of excruciating agony and another ten minutes of picking errant stones out his tale he saw the shining white spires of Camelot. Stretching to the heavens, the white made it look like clouds forming a solid structure. In awe he swam into the deep ravine that made up Camelot's water supply and made his way into the capitol itself.

Bobbing his head just above the water every now and then gave him glimpses of farms that lived on the outskirts. Then stalls as markets replaced hutches. After that came the wall where he would need to slip under the water until he made his way into the castle. Excitement coursed through him, so this was what humans lived like.

The swim into the castle wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. Without any sunlight to the water it was hard to see in. Multiple times he had banged into the stone walls of the castle and eventually just swum with a hand to it to guide him.

He was just about to turn around when a light appeared on top of the water. Merlin stilled and kept close to the wall as the fire drew nearer. Sinking further down he tried to avoid its light as a voice sounded.

"_I know you're down there_," It wasn't spoken. Truthfully Merlin had only heard other merpeople speak like that to him. Looking around for another being like him he heard the voice again "_Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you._"

Merlin hesitantly asked it "_Are you alone_?"

"_Yes, but there are others with me_," Well that wasn't at all cryptic. "_They're busy at the moment_."

Merlin surfaced slightly and saw that the source of light was coming from a small boy holding a torch. "_Who are you?_"

The boy smiled slightly and held his hand out "_My name is Mordred_." Merlin shook his hand "_It's a pleasure to meet you Emrys_."

"_My name is Merlin,_" He told the boy.

He nodded but still didn't change how he addressed Merlin "_I got you this to help you. You'd better be careful though Emrys, I saw some guards on my way down. They may come and find you if you don't hurry_."

"_What about you_?" He felt slightly guilty for leaving the boy. He could always eat him, but then Camelot would have a murder case on its hands. Merlin wanted to get in and out without any more complications.

"_I have to go back_," He pointed behind him "_I just wanted to meet you. Help you_."

Merlin smiled and held the torch up as Mordred gave it to him "_Well, thanks_." Then Mordred was scampering away with a little goodbye. Merlin didn't know whether to be scared that a small boy had known he was there or thankful that someone had helped him. Either way he set off quickly down his path.

The walls were narrowing to a small archway that only let in water. With a reluctant look at the torch Merlin put it out and swam through with the water. It opened out and into three different channels. Choosing the first on the right he went down and came to a well.

It was a dead end and really dull so Merlin made his way back. Not before someone saw him though. One minute he was diving back into the water and the next searing agony was coursing through his body. His tail felt aflame as he swam back the way he came and into the connecting channels. Shouts could be heard down the one he had just came out of. He paid no attention and looked apprehensively towards his tail. An arrow was sticking between two scales, wedged in deep Merlin was scared to touch it until he was safe.

A bell tolled through the castle making the water vibrate with every dong that sounded. Through the dizzying pain one thing rang out louder than the others. At first he thought it was Mordred but the tone was too deep to be that of a child's.

"_Merlin. Down here Merlin. Take the left one_," He didn't know what to do. The only thoughts running through his head weren't even his own. "_Merlin_," It called and he obeyed.

A chasm opened up from the left channel. Stretching higher than he cared to look at this moment Merlin wearily swam towards a rocky bank. Lifting himself slightly out he looked at the arrow and yanked it out quickly. Muffling his pain with his hand he willed the wound to close. Never having been good with healing magic it only stopped bleeding and scabbed slightly. Better than nothing Merlin collapsed backwards and came face to face with a dragon.

"Hello," He greeted. You would think he would be more scared but dragons were relatively peaceful creatures most of the time.

"Evening young warlock," The dragon greeted "I was wondering if I would ever get the chance to meet you."

"Well I hate to disappoint," he grinned "And if you don't mind I prefer merman to warlock. Though the latter does sound manlier."

The dragon grinned as much as a dragon could "Indeed." He came closer towards Merlin and curled himself around the big rock. "How's your tail?"

Merlin winced as the mention of it sent pain flaring to his scabbed up skin "Not good."

The dragon hummed "It's a shame your people don't practice the healing arts," He commented "Getting you back to good health will require some outside assistance I fear."

"So long as they don't try to kill me I'm fine with it," Merlin tried to put his injured side in the water to soothe it. Hissing and spitting later he was back in the same position as before. "Who did you have in mind?"

"His name is Gaius. He works as the physician to the king. He's usually sympathetic to our kind but calling him down here will be a struggle," The dragon mused.

"Maybe I can ask Mordred to fetch him," Merlin said thinking back to the helpful little boy he met.

The dragon said no immediately to that idea "He's trouble Merlin," was all the dragon gave.

"Then I don't have any more options. This was your plan, you do the thinking," He tried again to get himself in the water. He stayed in longer that time which he counted as a win.

"I could always call him," The dragon spoke aloud "But he usually ignores me. Perhaps if we're lucky, this time he won't." The dragon uncurled himself and perched dramatically on the rock. Crouched low with his tail swinging Merlin heard the call ring out in his head as the dragon spoke. Clutching his hands to his ears was pointless but still Merlin did it. It was never nice having someone shout in your head.

"Do you have to be so loud?" Merlin complained. The dragon started and gave him an amused look.

"You can hear me?"

"Obviously," Merlin exclaimed.

"Hmm, you're more powerful than I thought. Don't worry young warlock, I'll try again for another minute then cease for the night." Merlin endured once again the call of the dragon.

He sighed blissfully when the dragon stopped and unfurled himself from his clutch on the bank. Trying again Merlin managed to swim a little before the pain in his tail had him racing back to the bank. The dragon watched him attempt again and again to get himself back in the water. What was worse was he was offering advice.

"I've been doing this all my life thank you," Merlin snarled.

"All I'm saying is if you moved your fins more and your tail less then you might be able to swim longer," Merlin could almost see why the dragon was locked up. He probably annoyed the king so much that he had no choice but to imprison it.

Footsteps sounded from above. Merlin hastily shuffled around the back of the rock as the dragon reared itself up. Merlin scoffed slightly at the intimidating stance.

"Alright what is this about. I'm telling you now, if you want me to set you free, forget it!" Someone shouted in.

"Not this time," The dragon told him. Merlin peered around the edge and saw a hunched elderly man in his nightclothes. He hadn't realised it was late.

"Then what is it?" The man asked since the dragon wasn't forthcoming with information.

"A little warlock has injured himself. I thought you might provide some assistance to him," Gaius turned away slightly in fright and seemed to be looking around for someone.

"You know I can't," He hissed back.

"I think you'll make an exception," The dragon promised "After all, Emrys is the hope for all of us."

Merlin didn't understand what the dragon meant by that. The only thing he did understand was that he had called Merlin the same thing that boy Mordred had. Truthfully even that didn't make much sense but it struck something in Gaius.

"He's here?" He gasped "Where? He needs to get out!"

"That's where I need your assistance physician," A swat to the head had Merlin tumbling sideways and into the water. Splashing around he pulled himself back up and scowled at the dragon "He's taken a battering. I need you to look at him."

There was a moment of silence "I'll need to look at him," He heard and the man clambering down stone steps "This isn't saying I'm helping you!" He pointed to the dragon.

"Of course it is. You're helping everyone by doing this including myself," Annoying cryptic lizard.

The man hobbled over to the dragons rock and skirted around the bank towards where Merlin was hiding "You're going to have to come out," Gaius told him.

Merlin took one look at the dragon "_You're sure he'll help_?"

The dragon nodded so he shuffled around into Gaius' light. To say the man was shocked was an understatement, one look had him dropping his torch and descending them all into darkness. "You're a-" He cleared his throat "Right, well let's look at you," He croaked and offered the torch for the dragon to relight.

Merlin held his tail out "One of the arrows got in," he pointed to the hole in his scales.

Gaius tutted and prodded lightly at the wound. He hissed but stayed still. "I don't know much about healing your kind," Gaius told him "It may take some trial and error."

"But you can?"

"I can try," The man promised him. Then he turned to the dragon "Where's he going to stay?"

The dragon looked around as if that was answer enough "I'm sure the water will agree with him more than your chambers Gaius."

Gaius tutted "Very well. Make sure no one finds him then."

Gaius was gone shortly after that with advice for Merlin to keep the wound dry. Then he changed his mind and said to keep it moist. Merlin didn't know which one to follow so he alternated each for an hour after the man left.

He was back the next evening with foul smelling herbs and a concoction that he promised didn't taste as bad as it smelled. Liar. He applied a salve and had Merlin keep his wound out of the water while the salve was on. Promising to check on him the next evening he retired once again.

By the fourth night Merlin was looking forward to Gaius coming back. The dragon was a nightmare to talk to. After he advised him on how he could improve his singing Merlin had given Kilgarragh the silent treatment.

"When will I be well enough to leave?" Merlin asked eagerly.

Gaius frowned "With a wound like this it could be weeks. I'm sorry Emrys."

Pouting he told him "It's Merlin." Gaius looked up surprised "My name, it's Merlin," He clarified. "Not Emrys."

Gaius nodded "You know you remind me of another patient of mine. Can't wait to get back on the battlefield even if he's close to death."

The dragon perked up at the mention of this mystery patient. He was eyeing Merlin carefully "Let's hope that he doesn't die before he should."

Gaius looked up at the dragon with narrowed eyes "Indeed."

Yellow eyes peered curiously into his "Tell me young Warlock. What made you come to Camelot?"

Merlin was happy to answer a direct question "A game. We were seeing who could get the furthest inside Camelot. It seems I've won."

The dragon didn't seem satisfied "Anything else?"

"Well," Merlin didn't know if he should mention Arthur or not.

He didn't need to since the dragon turned to Gaius "Does the name Merlin sound familiar to you at all Gaius?"

The man frowned "Now that you mention it..." He looked sharply at Merlin "You wouldn't happen to be the Merlin Arthur's been seeing at the lake would you?"

"You know Arthur?" Merlin asked excitedly. Then he argued that of course Gaius would know Arthur, he was the court physician, he probably saw him all the time.

Gaius didn't seem to share his excitement "This isn't good."

The dragon on the other hand seemed immensely pleased "It seems destiny always does find a way."


	2. Chapter 2

On the fifth day of his imprisonment his stomach started growling. Echoing off the cave walls he was thankful that merpeople didn't have to eat all that often, a week between meals was nothing. It had been almost more than that by now and an unpleasant thought occurred to him.

"How often do they feed you?" The dragon came down from where he was stretching his wings and lay on his perch.

"Weekly, sometimes they wait longer. The prince has been busy with his quest of late so there probably won't be much." Merlin's stomach growled again.

He couldn't help but ask "Quest? What kind of quest?"

"The lady Guinevere has lost her brother. The witch and Arthur have decided to retrieve him, against Uther's wishes," The dragon had a smug look on his face at the mention of defying Uther. Merlin was gathering that he wasn't a very nice man. "You needn't worry for the prince young warlock. Already I can smell them coming back into Camelot."

"I wasn't worried," He muttered slipping into the water.

Footsteps were sounding above, different from the slow gait that Gaius walked with. Hiding in the shadows he watched as a man came in holding a torch. Two more were behind him and pulling a cart of meats. They didn't carry the cart down to the dragon, instead they tipped it over the side and almost ran back out of the cave. Merlin stopped himself from going to the meats. Despite being hungry the dragon was most likely hungrier. Not to mention he was much bigger than Merlin.

The dragon tucked into his meal with vigour as Merlin scented the three guards that had walked in. He wondered if they were going back to the court or whether they stood guard outside the dragon's cave.

When Gaius came that night he posed the question to him. Apparently there wasn't a need for a guard outside of the dragons cave because no one really came down here. Disappointed Merlin asked about food for himself instead.

"Yes, I was worried about this," Gaius muttered storing his herbs back in his satchel "What exactly does your kind eat?" Merlin pointedly looked at him "Apart from..." he couldn't say 'humans.'

"Ordinary meat is fine. A nice buck if you can find one," Gaius' eyebrows disappeared.

"A whole one?"

"Of course," Merlin frowned. It seemed that a whole buck was too much to ask for. He didn't know what kind of animals lived in Camelot though.

"It seems they're a creature of appetite," Kilgarragh commented.

Gaius huffed "I'll do my best," He promised and told Merlin the regular message to stay out of the water while his salve was on.

The next night he came with a pig on a leash. Leading it down the steps he seemed to look almost sorry for the creature before he let it loose. Merlin soon had it in the water and gone in a pool of red. Gaius was chatting with the dragon when he sat on the bank again. His back to the water he seemed to be trying to ignore what Merlin had been doing behind him.

"I think it's getting better," Merlin commented bringing Gaius' attention back on him.

Gaius knelt down and touched tentatively at the scales around his scabby wound "Hmm, a week and you should be able to leave. I suppose that's another pig I'll be bringing down?"

"Couldn't make it something bigger?" Seeing the horror-struck look on Gaius' face he amended "Or just another pig. That one was quite tasty." He shared a look with the dragon 'humans.' The silence lengthened and Merlin searched for a safe topic "Is Arthur back yet?"

"He arrived last night with the Lady Morgana, Gwen and her brother," Merlin nodded.

"I think the young Warlock's searching for more information than that," Kilgarragh prompted.

Gaius scowled up at the dragon. Ever since learning Merlin was the same one Arthur knew he had been even more evasive on the topic. "There was a spot of trouble but other than that their journey was successful. Uther is both angry and proud of Arthur's achievement."

"That's nice," Merlin smiled "I mean about him being proud and home safe. Not the other one," He corrected quickly.

Gaius sighed and rose "I'll check on you in two days," Merlin nodded and let him go.

"He wants to keep the two of you apart," the dragon elaborated. "No doubt he will be telling Arthur the first chance he gets."

"About what?" The dragon looked pointedly at his tail "Oh. Is that a problem?"

The dragon shook his head slightly as if to get rid of a cobweb. "Camelot isn't safe for our kind Merlin. Uther has waged war on anything with magic for as long as Arthur has been breathing. For him to discover your true nature means that you'll be hunted much like the rest of our kind."

Merlin looked up at him "You're not dead."

"No, but I am here to act as a symbol. The last of my kind, my being here shows that no one is immune to the powers of man. Big or small, mighty or timid, no one is safe."

"That's awful," He had just thought Arthur was wary about the fact mermaids ate people. He didn't think it had anything to do with a war against magic.

"Indeed."

Merlin shuffled around to the back of where the dragon was sitting. There lay his chain mounted to the rock as thick and impenetrable as a chain could be to hold a dragon.

"How do I get this off?" Merlin experimentally tugged at the chain.

"You can't. Not yet at least. Only something with great power could slice through these chains," The dragon nudged him back over to his front and away from the chain.

"Like what? A spell?" Eager to help Merlin ran through anything he could that related to magic. "I don't know any."

"Not a spell young Warlock. Something even stronger than that. I think a bond between steel and magic may be the only thing that will work," The dragon hinted. He did this a lot, giving advice but making you work for it.

"Steel? Like a sword," He thought of Arthur's and then of Lancelot's. He wondered if there were any spare at the bottom of his lake.

"Precisely. But one that has been bathed in dragon fire," Merlin frowned thoughtfully. He couldn't ask Gaius for a sword and he wasn't well enough to search the lake yet.

"I can't free you now. Will you wait until I can?" The dragon sank low to meet him.

Eyes boring in and searching through the truth of Merlin's words he nodded "I'd be happy to."

They returned back to their past times in the dragon's cave. The two days before Gaius came back Merlin repaid the dragon some advice and gave him flying pointers. A half hour sulk later and he was teaching Merlin small spells to use on the water and small rocks in the cave. He hadn't known that magic could be so controlled. It was a revelation to learn the words for things in the Old tongue and call them to action. The dragon seemed pleased with this as well. Every spell Merlin managed to get right had him grinning as only a dragon could.

Gaius returned before dusk on the second day. Bag laden with herbs he looked harried and rushed through most of Merlin's check up. A blast of trumpets echoed into the cave and had Gaius looking cautiously up at the entrance.

"Something wrong?" Merlin queried.

Gaius returned to looking over his wound "Nothing."

"Gaius," The dragon reprimanded "The boy has a right to know whether he's in danger."

Gaius scoffed "He's not," The pressure on his tail said otherwise.

"If there's nothing wrong then you can tell me about it can't you?" Merlin asked innocently. Gaius looked back up at the entrance and shook his head. "Fine," Merlin huffed and dipped his head in the water. It was an odd angle but still soothing.

The old man was putting his things away again when he stopped. Looking fearful for a moment he turned to Merlin and tapped him to get out for a moment. "I need you to promise me that you won't make much noise in the coming days."

"Noise?"

"Singing," Gaius clarified "It echoes in this cave and can be heard in the corridor. Arthur has stopped himself many times and gone searching in the castle, thinking you lived here."

Merlin wasn't quite satisfied with Gaius' explanation. There was something else at work here "What else is happening?"

The dragon had came down from his little flight around the cave with a thoughtful expression on his face "I smell a troll," He commented.

Gaius whipped around to face him "Are you certain?"

The dragon sniffed the air "Quite. Something else too. What has Uther been doing up there?"

"Gaius?" Merlin demanded.

Sighing he complied "The Lady Katrina has came to visit."

"That doesn't seem too bad," Merlin offered as the dragon started chortling.

"Oh do go on," He laughed.

Scowling at the dragon Gaius continued "I thought it odd that she hadn't taken her medicine and had Gwen go look for her. She found something but it wasn't the Lady Katrina."

Merlin was confused. So someone was impersonating the Lady Katrina. Why did that have the dragon in such a state? "So can't you just tell the king and he'll have her removed?"

"The king's the one insisting she stay," The dragon wheezed. "Their scents have mingled most potently."

"Ew!" Merlin cringed. He had seen a troll come by the lake once, they were quite disgusting creatures. The one that he saw had fought with them over the carcass of a dead man. Winning it had then rolled around with glee in his guts.

"Indeed," Gaius sighed. "Hopefully I can find some remedy for Uther's blindness before it's too late. So will you do it?"

Merlin nodded "No singing," He promised.

Gaius made to get up but the dragon stopped him with "A word? Merlin here has been practising his magic for little else to do. I know quite a few spells but it's nothing compared to something he can memorise, perhaps read for himself..." he trailed. Gaius looked torn and left.

"Something I can read?" The dragon didn't answer and took to the top of the cave again. "Fine, ignore me."

Strangely Gaius was back within the hour. Carrying something wrapped in cloth he placed it in front of Merlin and made his leave again. Calling the dragon back over Merlin pointed to the package Gaius left him.

"It's for you," The dragon amended.

Curious, Merlin unwrapped the parcel and a book dropped out. Pages were sticking from the sides where no more room was available and when he opened it words upon words of the old religion stared back at him. It was unfortunate that he couldn't read.

Sharing his dismay the dragon offered to teach him and thus began their lessons. With little light, save for the fires Kilgarragh made, it was hard to make out the individual words. The dragon was a patient teacher and helped him through it, pointing out each letter and how it formed a word. Being the language of the old religion it was easier to speak it than to read it but he made sure he knew what the spell looked like wrote out before, with the dragon's permission, performing it.

Time flew with a new distraction to entertain him. Merlin would often ask the dragon for spells that could do this or that which came into his head and the dragon would tell him to look in the book to see if it was there. By the third day since Gaius had left Merlin stopped asking the dragon and went straight for the book.

He had lit a blue orb under the water when footsteps sounded on the fourth day. He proudly sprang out with the orb intact to show Gaius what he had made. The old man was shocked and looked to and from Merlin to the dragon.

"He's a fast learner," The dragon commented. Today he had decided that the cave walls were a fun place to sit.

"I can do so many of them. I didn't even know there were that many spells," Merlin crowed pointing out the ones he could do in the book.

"That's nice," Gaius told him and faced the dragon "I need your help," The dragon cocked his head and flew down in front of Gaius. "The situation with the troll has worsened. Uther has been enslaved by her magic and not even the revelation of her true form can break the enchantment."

He let the dragon laugh out his joy for five minutes before demanding an answer. Troll magic was strong, according to him, and the only way to break it was to help Uther find some humanity. In this case grief overcame love so Uther must shed some remorse for the enchantment to break.

Gaius didn't look too pleased with this answer "I know it'll be near impossible but it's the only chance you have," Kilgarragh advised "After all, I doubt you want the troll to stay Queen."

Gaius left in a strop, he didn't even check on Merlin's tail. Sinking back into the water he challenged the dragon to a race along the cave to pass the time. He had been growing stronger this past week. Strong enough that his tail wouldn't start hurting unless he was swimming for a considerable length of time. Merlin guessed that he was almost free to leave.

Gaius came back the next night with two pigs. Feeling his mouth water and teeth sharpen he waited eagerly until Gaius had released the first pig. The second he walked over to the other side of the bank and gave to Kilgarragh. Merlin saw the slight shock in the dragons face before he went under and couldn't help but feel pleased that Gaius appreciated the dragon's help.

When Gaius looked at his tail he was happy to hear that he was indeed well enough to leave Camelot. Gaius told him to stay one more night and leave the next day. He looked like he was going to say more but didn't. Instead he bade Merlin goodbye and left him in the care of the dragon.

The next day dawned and Merlin was torn between leaving and staying. "If it were me I'd be out there by now," The dragon drawled.

Merlin took another look at the golden creature "I'll come back for you," He promised.

"I know you will," The dragon pawed the magic book closer to himself. Catching Merlin's face he said "It'll be better if I hold on to it."

Nodding Merlin dived and made his way to the small tunnel and into the dark watery chamber beyond. Getting out of Camelot gave him as many bruises as when he went in. Soon enough he could see his lake stretching out for miles in front of him. Speeding up despite the pain in his tail Merlin breathed in the waters of home with glee.

The others were shocked to see him back. Gone for so long they had thought him dead and when his mother came to him he was feeling more than a little guilty. Waiting until they were back in their home he told her everything that had happened. From his adventure into Camelot, to meeting the dragon and Gaius and back again.

"You had me worried," She swatted and had him help her string lyres the rest of the night as punishment.

Two weeks later and his tail was back to normal. He lounged, sped and flipped to his hearts content along the lake. It was only when one of the mermaid's went to the top of the lake hunting that he remembered his promise to the dragon.

Eagerly joining the hunt he waited below the boat as the mermaid done her thing. But when a familiar warning drawl reached his ears he yanked the maid under and hissed her away. He hadn't thought about Arthur coming back to the lake while he was gone. It was a wonder that he was still alive.

Waiting five minutes he emerged himself and came face to face with Arthur, Morgana and Arthur's sword. Eyeing it he decided that it would serve his purpose well.

"Merlin!" Arthur drew his sword back and clapped him on the shoulder "I was beginning to think you had a life."

"Ha ha," Merlin sneered. "What brings you today then?"

Morgana looked like she had been crying "I was wondering if you would sing in court for us. Father's been asking for you specially," Arthur looked proud as he relayed the news.

"No, that vile man has," Morgana amended and turned away as Arthur shot her a look.

"What vile man?" Arthur couldn't have gotten into more trouble already. He had just gotten rid of a step- troll.

Morgana was more than happy to fill Arthur's hesitant silence "Someone reported the work of magic to Uther. One story too far and now he has this witchfinder at the castle. He has Gaius in chains and ready to hang."

"Gaius!" Arthur looked up in curiosity "Will he be alright? Surely your father won't hang his physician."

"With Aredian around it looks like he might," Morgana sniffed.

Arthur didn't seem to share her sorrow just then instead he latched onto something else "You know Gaius?"

Realising he couldn't take back his mistake he said "Maybe." Arthur smirked "You already knew that though," He tried.

"True," Arthur conceded "I had a feeling you knew someone at court. How else would you have been in the castle. Speaking of the castle, what do you say to a live performance?"

"Pass."

Arthur's face dropped "But it's in front of the king. This is one of the greatest honours someone of your standing could hope for," he went on.

"Insulting and still a pass," Morgana looked more smug every time Merlin turned Arthur down.

"Merlin!" Arthur drawled.

"No," He insisted "I'm not going to sing in front of the king. With things the way they are it seems to dangerous."

Arthur scoffed "Honestly. You're not going to be arrested if you sing for us Merlin."

"I could be," Merlin scowled "So I'm not going."

Arthur looked to Morgana for help "Uther's just going to have to want," She told him and pushed him aside to talk with Merlin about Gaius situation. She told him how odd all of the events were. How he found so many witnesses to sorcery so fast and how they admitted it so easily. Merlin suggested it was all staged somehow and told her to go investigate his chambers if she felt the same.

With Arthur pouting they made their leave soon after. Merlin thinking quickly about the sword Arthur had caught up with them "I tell you what, if you bring your father here I'll be more than happy to sing from afar. Take him to the shore, make a day out of it," He suggested.

Arthur thought about it and grunted "I'll ask him."

"Wait!" They had tried to row away again "I'll do it, if you give me your sword," He bargained.

Arthur glanced down at the sword he was holding "My sword? What do you want a sword for?"

Merlin looked around the lake "I'm in a mermaid infested lake, what else could I need it for."

"What about your bargain with them?" Arthur wasn't buying his excuse.

"You saw that mermaid when you came here, they're getting hungrier with the lack of men coming by. A bargain isn't something that's going to hold when their stomachs rumble one time too many," Merlin pretended to look genuinely fearful for his life.

Arthur fingered the hilt "I suppose that's true," He looked back at Merlin "You do know how to wield a sword don't you?" He clarified and Merlin nodded. Arthur handed it over reluctantly. "You know the simple solution for avoiding mermaids would be to not swim in their lake," Arthur called as he rowed him and Morgana back to shore.

Merlin didn't really care about his snide comment. He had a sword. Now all he needed was to get back into Camelot and free the dragon.

He decided against going into the city just yet. With the witchfinder and the news that Uther wanted to hear him sing there was a good chance that Aredian was waiting for Merlin to make his way back into the castle. One wrong move and he would be just as bad off as Gaius. He decided to wait until Arthur told him it was safe.

For another week Merlin lounged about the lake but this time he was forming a plan. He needed to get in and out of Camelot with a dragon. How exactly was he to do that? He wondered if there was a way to shield the blue orb he could form so that it only cast light under the water but remained invisible to those who looked from above. He wished he had his book with him.

He didn't hear about the life in Camelot until Morgana came rowing onto the lake with another woman in tow. They were alone, no guards or knights to protect them. No Arthur either. He looked below to see how the merfolk were taking the women's arrival. Three of them had already scented them.

Thinking quickly Merlin propelled the boat to the other end of the lake with his magic. The women shrieked and held on. At the shore they shakily got out and cast the boat scared looks. Merlin swam over to where the boat was floating out and grabbed the rope, holding it out to them he asked.

"Lose something?" Morgana was still in shock but the girl took the rope off him and dragged the boat more securely into the shallows. "What brings you out here?"

Morgana steadied herself and turned to Merlin "We were hoping you could help us."

Frowning he clarified "Me?"

Morgana nodded "Arthur's been put under some enchantment. A woman named Vivian is staying at the castle."

Merlin nodded starting to see where Morgana was going with this "He really doesn't have much luck with women does he?" Morgana and her friend laughed.

"So will you help us?" Merlin shrugged.

"I don't really know what's wrong yet," The girl was checking the boat out warily as Morgana lifted her skirts and came closer to him.

"One minute Arthur hates her like the rest of us and now he's trying to win her hand in a fight to the death. Gaius says that he's under a spell, like the one Uther was under but less powerful," She explained. Mind control and certain death. This definitely looked familiar.

"So how do you break this spell?" Merlin asked "And how am I supposed to help?"

"Gaius says he needs to see something he loves. And, well, he loves your singing. I thought it would be enough if you came and sang for him." Merlin cringed, he knew he would have to say no to her. "The only other option is to have Gwen kiss him," She pointed behind her where her friend coloured and spluttered in slight protest.

Merlin couldn't help them "I'm sorry," He told her "I wish I could."

She steeled herself "Merlin this is Arthur's life. What could be more important than the life of your prince?"

Thinking quickly he invented "My mother," Morgana frowned so Merlin elaborated on his lie "She's taken ill. I came here for one last swim before I went to see her." The hardness that had encased Morgana's face softened.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Merlin accepted her condolences. She turned to Gwen "It looks like we'll have to go to the other plan after all." Gwen didn't look too upset at that.

Merlin accompanied them across the lake since they didn't trust the boat not to speed off on its own. As Merlin went home that night he felt bad for some reason that he couldn't help Arthur. Despite that he had learnt something that made up for it. Camelot was free of the witchfinder. He was able to go back into the city.

His mother didn't see his cause that way. As soon as he said where he was going she refused to let him out. Three days later and it took great skill and a lot of bravery to finally sneak off from the nursery she was running. Even then he was bitten by a small mermaid as he left.

Through pebbles and rivers he climbed the slopes of Camelot's waters until at nightfall he was in the dark passage that led to the three tunnels. He had to still and put his little blue orb out as he heard footsteps above him. Finally free he journeyed into the small tunnel to the left that led out into the dragons cave.

Racing over to the golden creature he climbed onto the bank and called out for the dragon. Kilgarragh ignored him. Favouring sleep than freedom it took seven attempts before he stirred.

Even then the eyes that regarded him were blurry with sleep "Young Warlock," He yawned "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me."

"Of course not. It just took some time for me to get a sword," He held it out for the dragon.

Another yawn and the dragon hummed his approval of the weapon "Hold it still now," Merlin looked warily at the dragon as he took a deep breath and breathed fire onto it. When Kilgarragh was done the sword was bathed in a golden hue. Lighter and balanced perfectly Merlin couldn't believe the difference.

"Right, let's get you out of here," Merlin declared and set off to the back of the dragon. It took some doing, with Merlin not being able to stand up, but finally he had the chain close enough to cut.

One slice was all that needed for the metal to slice perfectly down the middle. Merlin marvelled at the sword and dove back the quick way to the front of the dragon. Merlin had expected gratitude when he eventually freed the dragon. Instead Kilgarragh was curled up in a deep sleep again.

Merlin tried to wake him again to no avail. Taking his spell book instead he tried every one he could make out on the dragon to wake him up. Nothing. Figuring magic was at work since he himself had started to feel drowsy he set off down the tunnel and into the passage where he had met Mordred.

Knowing he needed to find out what was going on he set his voice on the castle. A summoning song that would have anyone awake crawling over to him. Weary though he became he persisted until Morgana and Arthur stood before him in a dreamy state. Not ceasing he turned his voice softer and incorporated his questions into his song.

"Everyone's asleep," Morgana told him gazing nowhere. "We can't wake them up."

"It's an attack on the castle," Arthur continued "Morgause has raised the dead to help her claim Camelot," Merlin was taken aback. Necromancy was a forbidden art even among his own people. He sent them away with the message to do everything they could to undo the spell.

His eyes were drooping as he made his way back into the dragon's lair. Feeling himself falling asleep Merlin drifted to the water bed and closed his eyes.

A wall sized rock woke him. It warred its way into the water with immeasurable strength and had Merlin darting away and to the bank in the blink of an eye. The dragon was gone and a roar deafened the structure of Camelot.

Another piece of the cave broke apart and tried to kill Merlin so he grabbed his little magic book and put it on the furthest step he could reach before trying to find his way out of Camelot.

He made it out of the city walls to see the spires that had glowed pearly white when he first saw them were charred black and smoking. Kilgarragh clawed his way across the castle in his fit of vengeance and though it was Merlin's fault he knew there was nothing to be done. No one could stop a dragon and he wasn't going to risk his lake boiling to try. It was cowardly but Merlin retreated and hid with his mother while Camelot fought for their lives.

Two weeks and Merlin had accepted that Arthur was probably dead. He was lying in the sun on the lake when he smelt a human nearing. Rearing onto his front he watched as a man clambered into a boat he pulled along. Long hair hung in his face as he reached for the oars and started rowing across.

Calling a "Mine," To the others he slunk along the water and listened to the man humming his way across the lake. Reaching the back he gave it a swift tug to stop and went to the side "That's a nice song," He commented.

The man looked round in shock but relaxed as most people did when they saw Merlin "Bit early to be down here isn't it?" the man smiled.

"I could ask you the same," Merlin shot back humming the song himself now.

"I'm on my way to the tavern if you must know," He informed "Don't suppose you care to join me. Swimming does build up an appetite."

"Hmm, true," Merlin agreed. Leaning forward he added "So do other things," the innuendo clear in his voice. All the while he hummed lowly in his throat.

The man was enthralled enough to remain coherent as he leaned forward too "And what might those things be?" He invited.

Merlin softly traced his jaw before settling it on the side of his face. Pulling the man forwards while seeming to lean in he hummed their way closer to the water. Almost over the edge the man's face was captivated by-

"Merlin!" He paused and broke the spell on the man. Strangely he didn't move away when Merlin turned to see a blonde on the shore.

"Damn," He muttered hoping he could get the man to come back again and laid a kiss on him that was eagerly reciprocated. Pulling away Merlin sank into the lake and told the man "You'd best be on your way, the lake's a dangerous place," And swam towards the shore where Arthur was scowling. "I thought you were dead."

"I survived," Arthur growled looking over at the man "Who's your friend?"

Merlin looked back "Don't know," he shrugged. Arthur looked appalled.

"You just kiss anyone that comes past then?" He demanded.

Merlin shrugged again and the boat neared where Merlin was treading. The man winked as he disembarked before he went off jauntily into the forest. Arthur watched him leave with death in his eyes.

"So how was the dragon?" He retrieved Arthur's wandering attention.

The blonde had a haunted look come over him "I had to fetch a dragonlord in the end. Father was..." Arthur sighed and sat on the bank "He's facing a tough decision. With the dragon gone the dragonlord has saved us all. But he has magic which goes against everything my father believes in. If he lets the dragonlord live then it's breaking his oath to the people but if he doesn't..." Uther was in quite a predicament.

"What do you think should happen?" Merlin asked. For some reason it was interesting to hear what Arthur thought about all of this.

The blonde looked thoughtful "I think father should let him live. Exile him but not kill him. Let him live a normal life elsewhere," Merlin was surprised. With all the bad things he had heard from the dragon he figured that Arthur was just as bad as Uther when it came to magic.

"That's very wise of you. Not to mention generous, from what you say it seems like he deserves his freedom," Arthur sighed heavily and nodded.

He got up and into the little boat that the man had abandoned. Rowing out a little he braced his arms on the side and beckoned Merlin closer. "It's easier to speak with you nearer," Arthur told him so Merlin pulled himself up to the side. "I could have sworn I heard you in the castle when Morgause was attacking," he muttered.

Merlin arched an eyebrow. Usually when he used his singing for purposes like that people had no memory afterwards. "Really?"

Arthur nodded "Where exactly do you live? I've just realised I've never asked you."

"Around," Merlin smirked when Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Do you live in Camelot?" Arthur tried. Merlin's smirk grew as Arthur grew more annoyed with the lack of answers "Fine, be mysterious."

"I intend to," Merlin teased.

"I have a favour to ask you," He told Merlin suddenly. Attentive he nodded and made a motion for Arthur to continue "When Camelot was attacked Morgause took Morgana. We haven't seen her since. Father's had search patrols out but still he can't find anything. I was wondering, if you hear or see anything concerning her will you tell me?"

Merlin said he would wondering vaguely what happened after he went to sleep. Arthur left shortly after asking his favour. He had apparently stole off from his patrol group to come see Merlin and was eager to return before they noticed he was missing.

He didn't see Morgana in the three days it took Arthur to come back to the lake. Merlin had been making rope out of the reeds in his hiding spot when he saw the familiar golden head of Arthur come to the water. He wasn't alone, an array of knights were behind him as well as a man on a horse. Dismounting, the man signalled and the knights brought forward a man in-between them.

Merlin couldn't make out any features from where he was hiding so he sunk deeper and started swimming over slowly. The man was wearing fine clothes and was neatly trimmed. Still there was something weather hardened about his looks that suggested a hard life. The man from the horse thrust something into the prisoner's hands and bade his knights to move back.

The thing that the prisoner was holding turned out to be a lute. One which was cracked and had little use left in it. The man seemed to know this yet still he strummed a few notes. Feelings sorry for him Merlin dived quickly back to his home and stole a lyre from his mother. She tried to get it back but didn't dare follow Merlin when he broke the surface.

He swam cautiously over to the bank and threw the lute at the prisoner. It hit his arm, startled he dropped his lute and looked over the lake. Merlin went back underwater to face his mother's wrath.

"He needed it," Merlin defended immediately.

His mother was scowling and Merlin knew he was in trouble for sure now. She was about to tell him his punishment when the prisoner started singing with the lyre Merlin gave him. Cringing at the tune and tone of the man he barely noticed when his punishment didn't come. His mother had gone still and like in a trance herself she peeked above the water.

Back down, immediately, she ordered Merlin home and swam off. Curious he disobeyed her and went back to his hiding place at the other end of the lake. He could just make out the prisoner and the knights behind him. His mother was also in view, tail lashing at the water, she was edging closer to the prisoner on the bank.

The singing stopped when he saw her and Merlin had a frightening thought that they had come to hunt the merfolk. A look behind at Arthur and the horse man had the knights backing off and the prisoner walking forward to greet his mother. He hissed under his breath when the man got too close and even more so when he knelt in the water to reach her. His mother didn't seem to mind all that much. In fact she was leaning into him. They were speaking lowly and the man kept touching his mother's face. Until he wasn't, instead he was following Hunith's arm towards where Merlin was hiding.

Merlin felt the eyes from across the lake, he was no longer hidden by reeds and plants from this man. Somehow the man could see him and Merlin could feel the tension roll through the man. His mother brought his attention back with some kindly words and there they talked until the man from the horse came forward.

The knights led the prisoner out of the water and back on dry land. His mother dived quickly beneath the water as the man got back on his horse. They were leading the prisoner back into the fold of guards when Merlin felt his eyes on him again.

"_Look after her,_" A voice warned. He knew it was the man speaking "_And in three days time call Kilgarragh. He'll tell you everything._"

Confused, Merlin dived down to meet his mother back in their home. "Mother?" He called.

She was sitting with the lyre he was playing floating in front. "Merlin don't wander off today," She told him. It was more of a request but he took it as a command and stayed with her.

The man was called Balinor, his father. The king had decided it was much too dangerous to keep him alive and sentenced him to death. There was no magic that Balinor knew which could save him this time. Too long on the run had left him tired of living. So he accepted his fate with a disposed nature and begged for his last request to visit Hunith in the lake. Uther had said yes only when Balinor had promised that the mermaids wouldn't try and harm them.

He felt cold when she had finished telling him this. For the next couple of weeks he stayed with his mother under the lake. Teaching the young ones about music and seduction instead of lazing about with the others. He didn't think he would have liked to have been left alone those weeks and was glad when his mother didn't call him out on his hanging about.

He didn't end up calling the dragon until the second week after his father had left forever. Choosing the spot near the other shore he yelled for Kilgarragh up to the sky and then he wasn't. Instead he was still calling but not how he would. The language was foreign yet familiar to him. Like something he knew off by heart but needed a key to unlock it before he could take that first step.

The dragon landed gracefully with his wings curled up and bowing low. "I was wondering when you might call on me."

"Balinor told me to," He said not knowing how this meeting was supposed to go.

The dragon just nodded "Rightly so too. It's a pity that he had to suffer at the hands of Uther. If there was one thing that I regret it is that," He seemed sorry too. Merlin knew he couldn't hold the death of someone he barely knew to this creature. The hurt he had suffered justified at least some of what he had done. "I suppose you know of your lineage. Balinor said he would enlighten you when he saw you," The dragon went on.

"He knew about me?" Merlin had thought he was ignorant of Merlin's existence until his mother told him.

"I told him," The dragon confessed "It seemed vital that I did before he bade me to go." Merlin felt slightly better having been told this. It probably would have made him start questioning where the man had been all these years if he did know about Merlin. "I had thought he would get here before Uther lay his hands on him. Alas," The dragon looked out to the lake in misery. Turning back to Merlin he went on to explain about the line of the dragonlord. How Merlin had the tongue, the only one left in their country, to speak to the dragons. "Use your powers wisely young Warlock," He warned and took flight.

He wondered about his powers for a long while after that. It seemed odd that someone like him should be granted all these magnificent gifts and not have an underlying use for them. He thought often of the magic book back in Camelot. Wondering whether it had survived the attack and if he could go and get it safely. Something told him that the way he went in last time was sealed up. The damage the dragon did to the cave was too disastrous to attempt getting in.

Five months passed at the lake. Arthur hadn't came since he led his father to his goodbyes and Merlin actually breathed easier when he realised Arthur wasn't coming that month. It meant he could laze on the shore with the other mermaids, dipping their tails in the shallows and gossiping about the latest hairstyle. This month it was plaited and curled. Merlin was forced to endure a tutorial taking him through every twist and pull of the girls hair since he refused to give in and dive back into the deep.

One of the girls had asked Merlin to give it a try since he was just lazing there when they all smelt it. Humans, two of them, and near by. Sniffing the air they worked out the sweet smell of perfume and oils meaning they were women.

Dragging themselves back into the lake they sank down until they saw a blonde burst from the bushes. Hair long and flowing she was brandishing a sword and towing a girl on her back. They were on the opposite end that Arthur usually visited so it took Merlin some time to realise the woman on the blonde's back was Morgana. She looked intact but asleep and Merlin turned to the others and told them to wait below. It looked like they weren't getting on the lake any time soon since the blonde had started a fire and set Morgana down.

Merlin checked on them in the coming hours from afar. Only when night had really fallen did he start getting closer to them. Morgana was awake when the moon shone directly on the lake. She didn't look like she was being kept prisoner. In fact, Merlin dared a little closer, she was welcoming the blonde's attempts at friendship.

The woman could only be Morgause. Arthur had said she had took Morgana and there was no one else that sprung to mind as to who it could be.

When Morgause finally lay down to sleep Merlin waited an hour before calling Morgana quietly over. She looked surprised but not unfriendly as she noticed who was calling her from the lake. One glance around and she was picking up her skirt to come closer to him.

"It's a bit late for a swim isn't it?" was her opening line. People were searching for her, Arthur was searching, and she was talking to him like nothing was wrong.

"I like the dark," He decided to play this carefully. Edging slightly closer he shot his winning smile towards her "Interesting things always happen after dark."

"Do they now?" Curiosity piqued she was lowering her guard.

Nodding "Oh yes. It obscures truth and blurs lines that would never be crossed during light. Tell me, what line are you crossing tonight Morgana?"

She looked hesitantly back at Morgause, guessing what Merlin was asking "It's not what you think. She's a friend and she's helping me."

Playing innocent he looked over at the sleeping woman "What? Oh her. No, I meant why have you come to the lake."

"Isn't it obvious, we've come to cross," So Morgause was keeping her into Camelot's territory. What was her plan?

"Are you sure that's all," He batted his eyelashes "You didn't come to see me then?"

She laughed, the sound ringing out over the lake. Merlin saw Morgause sit up and look towards where Morgana was standing. Merlin sank out of sight as she splashed in the water and hauled Morgana from it's silky clutches.

"Come away sister! The lake is home to dangerous creatures. You could have been killed," The reprimand was loud in the silence of the lake.

"I'm alright Morgause. I wouldn't have been hurt," much, Merlin thought thinking towards the ambush waiting deep in the water.

"How naive you are..." the rest of the lecture was drowned out as they retreated further onto land.

It turned out that they weren't venturing out onto the lake. Him and the other mermaids watched as they skirted around the lake to the other side on the land. It took longer, a whole day longer, yet still they didn't venture or dip a toe into the merfolk's waters.

Merlin swam anxiously for days after they left. Finally he had something to report to Arthur. Three months afterwards with still no sign, Merlin decided that Arthur had lost his status as acquaintance and was once again a future victim.

A call out of "Merlin!" a week later had Merlin glaring at the surface of the water. He was going to make Arthur wait, just like he had Merlin. "I know you're here! Where else would yo be," Arthur told the lake.

Still Merlin didn't move. He listened as the prince paced restlessly on the shore before taking up the boat and rowing onto the lake itself. Only when he saw one of his comrades race up towards the boat did he reveal himself.

Glaring at him Merlin greeted Arthur and told him "Morgana came here three months ago with a blonde woman."

Arthur frowned, shook his head and waved away Merlin's report "That's alright, she's back at Camelot now. We found her wandering the woods. She's been home for ages."

Merlin whacked the boat with his tail making Arthur jump. Three months Merlin has had to carry this useless information around. The anger must have shown on his face since Arthur looked a little guilty next time he met Merlin's eyes. "How's Camelot?" Merlin near growled, changing the subject was bound to make him more pleasurable to talk to.

"Busy," It was Arthur's turn to scowl. He didn't elaborate further and went on to talk about the rebuilding of the castle and the punishment of Balinor. "I told Father my views. He said they showed weakness and had him killed despite what he did for us. I hope that dragon doesn't come back," He mentioned staring worriedly into the air. He told of Morgana's rehabilitation into Camelot's life and even talked about his training with the knights. It was odd hearing about the way humans fought. "That man you kissed on the lake, his name's Gwaine. Thought you might like to know that," Arthur informed watching Merlin carefully.

"Alright," He shrugged vaguely remembering his escaped meal.

"He's been banished," Arthur went on, still watching Merlin "He also spends way too much of his time in the tavern."

Again Merlin shrugged and wondered what Arthur wanted out of him. "Is that my sword?" Merlin hauled himself further onto the boat to see that, yes, it was his sword.

Arthur cut off from what he was saying about Gwaine having no sense of personal boundaries to look at what Merlin was reaching for. "I found it under the castle," Arthur told him a suspicious look crossing his face "Yours is it?"

"If you let me look at it I'll tell you," Merlin reached for the sword which Arthur handed over.

"I found it in the cave where the dragon lived. It had been used to cut the bonds that bound it," Arthur was watching him turn over the sword with it's golden glint. Definitely his "There was also a book of magic next to it," Merlin realised his mistake. "Odd now that I think about it. I heard you in the castle and the next thing that happens is the dragon is loose. You wouldn't have had anything to do with it would you Merlin?"

The look Arthur gave him promised no forgiveness "It's not my sword," He eventually concluded and handed the weapon back "Mine had engravings on it. Different to this one," He lied. Arthur took it back with narrowed eyes. Changing the subject again Merlin latched onto Arthur's arrival at the lake "What did you want to talk about then?"

"What makes you think I wanted to talk about something?" He still wasn't letting up his glare.

"Aside from the fact you called for me, you haven't been to the lake in ten months. Why now?" There was a reason, Merlin judged since Arthur cast his eyes low and rubbed his neck awkwardly.

There was silence for a while as Arthur battled with his line of questioning further into the dragon's escape or telling Merlin about his problem. He settled it by telling Merlin that "My father's having me marry."

"Again?" he wondered how this one would try and kill him.

Arthur scoffed "I had that coming," He leaned on the boat looking down "She's a princess who would give Camelot not only a future Queen but a relationship with a neighbouring kingdom."

"But?"

Arthur looked up "I just thought that I would eventually marry for love. Somewhere I imagined that I would find the ideal woman who I would love unconditionally and have my father approve of as well. For this to be thrust upon me with little choice in the matter it seems..."

"What's she like?" Merlin tried. Surely marrying a princess couldn't be that bad. Then again Morgana had mentioned Vivian being a nightmare and she too was a princess.

Arthur barked a laugh "Clumsy. Everything she touches she breaks. She's unkempt and very unladylike. She made Morgana blush," Arthur insisted like this was a major achievement. "The only thing we have in common is riding."

"Can you imagine a future with her?" Arthur made a face.

"I can but I'm not happy in it," He confessed and leaned back on the boat. "Father's insisting that I try and I have. I will but I know that no matter what I do our future can't change from the course it's already in."

"Can't you tell your father that?" Even as he said it he remembered the man on the horse. That must have been Uther. He was the one that had sentenced an innocent man to die. Who killed hundreds of people for his own goals, not caring what others thought of him. There was no reason why his blood should be treated any differently.

"I have. He says marriage is more a treaty than about love. He doesn't care about my happiness despite the fact he married my mother for the same reasons he's damning me," The bitterness was strong in Arthur's voice as he spoke about his father now.

"I'm sure you'll grow to love her," Merlin comforted. Arthur just looked sullen at the news.

"That's what everyone else says," He sighed "Thing is I don't want to _learn_ to love her. I want to already love her. I want to see her and feel... you know?" Merlin shrugged. He'd never really thought about what love was like. Arthur could see that his meaning wasn't getting through and sank, deflated onto the wood of the boat "Don't suppose you're in a singing mood are you? I could use a good song," Merlin rolled his eyes at the pathetic tone Arthur had taken but gave in nevertheless.

He watched as Arthur's eyes shut and his body relaxed into the melody. Lines that had grew out of worry were softening back into his youthful face and Merlin couldn't help but revel in the power he had over him right now. It happened every time he used his singing on others, the idea that he could do what he liked to them was empowering.

With one roll of the boat he could have Arthur down at the bottom of the lake and the man would go to his doom none the wiser. All he would know was that he had an urge to follow Merlin anywhere. He shifted his tone into a jaunty song he'd heard some people sing across the lake. A smile lifted Arthur's mouth so Merlin guessed he knew the tune.

Ending on a high note he teased "This is where you applause and say how great I am."

Arthur smirked, opening his eyes he shot back "I don't clap for commoners."

Merlin pretended to be hurt. Rolling his eyes he lifted himself back onto the boat again and asked "So what do you do for exceptionally talented commoners like myself if not applause. For that's what I am and you didn't even deny it."

"True," Arthur mused "Well, I suppose I could..." The rest of the sentence was gone as Arthur leaned in and led him in a kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

What was chaste soon turned passionate as Arthur ran his hands through Merlin's damp hair. Quite used to kissing his tearaway victims instinct took over and Merlin returned the kiss naturally. Hands veering lower onto his back Merlin wondered what exactly was running through Arthur's mind right now. A quiet moan sounding between their lips had him forgetting all about that train of thought and onto better things. Like how to make Arthur do that again.

It was only when Arthur tried to veer lower and pull Merlin into his little boat that he took control of the kiss. Twining his arms around Arthur's shoulders he turned it from feverish to chaste once more. Until with a final nip he left Arthur and sank back into the lake.

Panting, Arthur didn't stop him. He seemed to be in shock that he had done such a thing to begin with. His hold was loosening with every centimetre Merlin dropped until it was gone and Arthur was clutching the side of the boat once more.

"I didn't-" Arthur tried.

"It's alright," Merlin consoled.

Arthur swept a hand through his hair "I didn't think I'd actually do it," He muttered. Merlin frowned, how long had Arthur been wanting to do that for then? He looked to the shore and announced "I'd best be going. Father will have a search party out otherwise," He scowled.

"Enjoy your wedding," Merlin parted with.

Arthur grasped his arm before he took up the oar and leaned down for one last embrace. Merlin watched as the boat sailed off not paying attention to the haunting giggles he could hear underneath. All he could see was Arthur looking back every chance he got as the trees swallowed him up. A feeling that Merlin would later see as disappointment welled within him. He was sad to see Arthur go but couldn't fathom why.

His mother was no help. Once word had spread around that Merlin had kissed his blonde prince she just advised him not to dwell on his feelings too much. Nothing could come of them, she said. The disappointment was back as he realised she was right. Even if he envisioned Arthur breaking off his wedding what did Merlin hope would become of it. That they would kiss on the lakeside? Then what? Arthur was a human, food, prey, an annoyance.

With a jolt of anger he realised that Arthur had made him wish he had legs. Never in his life had he wished to walk on land, life under the lake was too interesting to give up, yet here he was. Wondering if he had legs what he could do. He could walk into Camelot and steal his sword and book back. Go on adventures like the people that cross their lake. He could walk alongside Arthur wherever he went without having to wait weeks or months for him to come to the lake.

Making the mirror in his room break Merlin let the anger consume him with that last thought. How dare Arthur make him think these things. Change who Merlin was with only a few visits and a kiss.

Calming down later Merlin resolved to forget about Arthur. He had made him confused and lost him more food than he could afford to lose. From now on he would ignore the prince when he came to the lake. Probably bringing his new bride with him. He would revoke his claim on Arthur and let the others do away with his distraction.

He never managed to do so though. In the next couple of days he swore to declare Arthur free game but couldn't bring himself to do it. After the sixth day he figured he'd let them figure it out for themselves. When the others realised Merlin wasn't protecting Arthur anymore they would soon try their luck.

Kilgarragh came to the lake now that he was free. Making regular visits he would update Merlin on his adventures and tell about the goings on in the world of man. Merlin would hear it all with fascination, even the parts with Arthur in, then he would ask the dragon to teach him some magic. The loss of their magic book had hit them both. Kilgarragh because another magical artefact had been destroyed by Uther and Merlin because his gateway into developing his powers was gone.

One day, as Kilgarragh visited, he taught Merlin a special spell. This one he warned was only to be used if he was in danger.

"Note young Warlock that it is this spell that will change your being. You'll never be the same afterwards which is why you must only use it when you have no other choice," Accepting the dragons demands he memorised it carefully.

After Kilgarragh had left Merlin repeated the spell to himself over and over again. Any piece of magic he learnt was precious to him and one that could save his life was even more.

A week later Merlin was playing his lyre to some of the mermaids when a cocky voice sounded behind him "I was wondering when I'd see you again," The girls hadn't moved. They seemed to be trying to make themselves more attractive for the man that dangled his legs over the side of the lake.

"Gwaine," Merlin greeted, remembering the name Arthur had told him "What a pleasant surprise," He purred joining the girls in their seduction.

Gwaine smirked "Hardly a surprise. I've been told your kind can sniff us from miles off," Merlin huffed a laugh. It seems he had grown wiser since the last time they had met, recognising that Merlin was as much a threat to him as the girls twirling their hair.

"Then you know we were expecting you," One of the girls had pulled themselves up onto the grassy part next to Gwaine. Even though she was running her hands down his arm he ignored her in favour of Merlin "Which begs the question of why you're sitting there. You realise we're going to eat you as soon as I've tired of our conversation."

Gwaine smiled like he knew a secret "Oh you won't. After all I hear Arthur's been coming here for almost two years and still he hasn't been pulled under."

Merlin pulled himself up on the opposite side of Gwaine "Yes, but that's Arthur. Last I checked you're not him," The man hadn't seemed to hear Merlin, his gaze was transfixed on Merlin's tail. Following his line of sight Merlin commented that "It's nice isn't it. People don't usually believe I'm merfolk until they see it."

Gwaine reached out like he wanted to touch it "It's blue," He said dumbly as Merlin dragged his hand over to feel his scales. The girls were latching onto his legs as he felt along the blue, green skin. "It looks like gold's stuck in it," Gwaine went on touching one of his odd patches. In parts it had brightened to gold. His mother had often said that, when he swam, it looked like treasure glinting in the water. Often people looked down because they thought they saw something shiny in the lake. More often than not it was his tail as he circled their boat.

Merlin took hold of his chin and turned Gwaine's face to meet his "Any last words?" The girls had made it so there was no possible way he could escape. Snapping out of some sort of daze Gwaine realized this himself. He didn't panic.

Instead he faced Merlin steadily and told him "Word has it Arthur's on a quest."

Merlin frowned "If those are your last words then you've chosen poorly."

Gwaine went on "Gaius sent me a letter, he helped patch me up after I got into a fight, anyway he asked if I could keep an eye on Arthur. Only thing is that I don't know where the Fisher King lives. I thought that you might be interested in helping me."

Merlin considered his words. He decided he needed more information before he was to do anything so he turned his hold on Gwaine's face to his neck "Try harder."

Still Gwaine didn't flinch "Gaius says that Morgana's gave him something, an eye of a phoenix, it's meant to kill him as he goes on." Morgana? "He was the one to suggest I enlist your help. Says he'll consider you both even if you agree."

Hissing "I don't do debts," to think that Gaius would think Merlin owed him something. The dragon was the one that suggested Gaius help him. Therefore he didn't owe the man.

"No, but you do like Arthur." Gwaine was smiling as he said it. He thought that this would be the line which would have Merlin agreeing.

"I did," Merlin agreed, enjoying the look on Gwaine's face as he realised the usage of past tense. He pushed Gwaine back into the girl next to him.

She gladly hooked him around the neck and fell into the lake to join her sisters. Merlin watched as the man flailed and struggled against the strength of the women thinking about Arthur. So what if his wife will mourn him, it was his own fault for going on the quest in the first place. One of the girls had bit Gwaine on the neck so he howled in pain. Merlin couldn't believe Gaius tried to make his kindness something to barter with. Gwaine was begging for help now. Something about Arthur's forthcoming death bothered him, Merlin ignored the voice at the back of his head telling him it was fondness for the prince that was making him jump into the lake.

Calling the girls off he dragged the half bitten unconscious man to the boat at the end of the lake. Pushing him in Merlin went to the back and started moving the boat in the way of the Fisher King's lands.

Hours later Gwaine stirred and looked hesitantly towards where Merlin was pushing. His hair was dishevelled and he was bleeding in multiple places but smiled at Merlin.

"I knew you'd come around," He spoke weakly and set about tending his wounds.

Merlin stopped the boat and pulled himself up to be heard "This isn't about Arthur's quest," He informed "I'm helping you because I am the one who's going to kill Arthur. Not some stupid bracelet or drakon, me. And you're going to help." Gwaine was looking worried "As soon as Arthur's free of his phoenix eye you're to bring him to me."

"I thought you liked Arthur," he muttered weakly.

"I did," Merlin repeated "Now I'm going to like tearing him apart. And if you think about going for help or double crossing me in this arrangement I'm going for you too." The seriousness of his words must have gotten through to Gwaine since he was white as mist by the end of Merlin's threat. Nodding once in agreement Merlin went back to his position and pushed the boat forwards.

It took them two days to get to the Fisher King's borders. Gwaine had regained enough strength to take up the oars which meant Merlin was free to hunt underneath the boat as they journeyed. As the water started thinning they made camp on the nearest riverbank and Merlin marvelled how much a human ate in one day. He was fetching Gwaine's seventh fish that day when the man started complaining again about his lack of weapon.

"Are you sure there isn't anything I can use?" He whined searching Merlin for any hidden weapons he might have been possessing.

"I told you there's none. People don't just throw away swords," He splashed more water about and put the fire out again. Gwaine glared at him and set about making another one. It kept him mostly quiet which was the main reason Merlin had started doing it.

"You'd best hope we don't run into any monsters," the man warned "If there are we're doomed."

"_You're_ doomed," Merlin corrected. "_I _can fend for myself.

Gwaine pouted and sat down to cook his fish. Making a face Merlin dived into the deeper part of the river for a while. When he resurfaced the man was in a better mood. He had just finished tearing off another strip of his shirt to re-bandage himself with as Merlin crawled further onto the dirty earth.

"I wonder how long Arthur has left," the man mused "It must be awful. Gaius said he hadn't a clue what it was. He's probably wandering the lands wondering why he's getting so weak," Merlin had explained the day before what the eye of the phoenix was. Being a magical creature meant they were schooled on these things. "All sorts of things must be going through his mind," Gwaine continued, the man did like to hear himself think "Regrets, wishes, flashes of his life. I wonder if I'm in any of those."

"Probably," Merlin piped "He mentioned you last I saw him," Gwaine sent him a questioning look "Said you were incompetent and spent too much time in the tavern," The description only seemed to amuse Gwaine instead of anger him.

"Good to know I made a lasting impression," he sidled closer to Merlin "Speaking of the last time you saw him, what did he do to upset you?"

Merlin arched an eyebrow "Who's to say I'm upset?"

"I am," he told Merlin seriously "Let's face it Merlin you're here to help him not to kill him. You've had ages to sink your teeth in so obviously the fact you decide to do it now means he's done something wrong."

Merlin glowered "Well he hasn't. The only reason I've changed my mind is that I've decided that I've indulged him too long. Our game was fun but now it's dull and I'm hungry."

Gwaine lifted himself slightly above Merlin "Liar," he called. Merlin splashed water on him making Gwaine recoil to dry himself in front of the fire. "Uncalled for," He muttered.

Merlin rolled onto his stomach and watched as Gwaine lifted what was once a shirt over his head and set it before the fire. The light was playing against his bare chest turning it a healthy golden as Merlin thought on his reasons for coming again.

"I'm not upset," He mumbled to himself thinking on the anger Arthur flared inside of him.

The silence that had encompassed them turned from cold to warm as the night drew on. Merlin came on and off the riverside as boredom or necessity dictated, sometimes he hated that merfolk couldn't get too dry.

By the time Gwaine started yawning through the dark he finally tried talking to Merlin again "So how do mermaids repopulate? I've always wondered."

Merlin cocked his head in thought "The way any other creature does," He answered.

Gwaine cast a doubtful look at him and chanced coming closer again to run a hand down Merlin's chest towards where his skin turned to scales on his lower hips. "Doesn't look like you do," He teased.

Merlin frowned "I don't understand," He told him.

The brunette smirked "You see this," He ran his hands over the joint again "On humans that's where we repopulate," His tone was low and suggestive of things that Merlin was in the dark of.

Looking to where Gwaine was touching he put his own hand down and wondered what he meant. "I'm starting to get the feeling that humans don't 'repopulate' the same way we do," By the look on Gwaine's face he had guessed right.

"Wanna know how?" He leered.

"Not really," Merlin told him. The idea rather scared him at the moment. Yet another reason why he was comfortable with his own people instead of having legs.

"Hmm, it's probably for the best," Gwaine agreed "I don't want to deprive the princess of the opportunity after all. He seemed quite annoyed whenever I mentioned our passionate embrace," The smug look was back on Gwaine's face so Merlin left him on land for the night.

The boat rocked slightly as the water sped up. Descending further into land, rocks became their biggest worry. Gwaine had taken to shouting when they neared a large rock but as three smaller ones threatened to upend them Merlin told him to abandon the oars.

When it became to pebbly to move comfortably Gwaine told Merlin to take the boat further up river and try to find another way in while he went ahead to find Arthur.

Merlin agreed and told him to "Meet in the bend a mile from here in two days if I haven't caught up," and left.

It turned out that the Fisher Kings lands were barren. No green grew on the dried earth and water barely touched it's sunken pits. Those that were full didn't deserve the name of rivers. Merlin had swam up one and found the water turning thicker with sand and debris creating a swamp. Hoping that the water would clear he still swam onwards.

Struggling to move as the swamp gave way to tar and mud he tried to fan his tail out to clear a path back. The liquid wouldn't give up that easily and soon Merlin was huffing and hissing as he writhed in this trap. He eventually remembered he had magic which made his way simpler afterwards to reach the swampy waters again.

Night had fallen as he pulled his way through the swamp. And with the dark the wildlife began to make itself known. Screeches filled the air as they declared themselves awake and ready to eat. The noises were familiar to his ears and reminded him of Kilgarragh. Figuring these were his distant cousins Merlin swam faster towards his meeting place with Gwaine. While dragons loved to pursue knowledge and were relatively negotiable creatures the drakons had forgone all that and embraced their feral side.

Sinking lower to the bed as the hunt grew louder he was glad to eventually curl up under the boat and fall asleep. He decided that he would leave Gwaine to the adventure at hand and wait for him there instead. There simply was no other way for Merlin to enter the Fisher Kings lands.

As the night wore on Merlin was woken by boots in the boat above. Figuring Gwaine was back early with Arthur he breached the water and hoisted himself up on the side. The man inside the boat wasn't Gwaine.

Old, and not just in age but his essence. Withered with skin clinging to his bones the man smiled gently at Merlin and gestured for him to stay "I have longed for this day," He told him "To finally meet you Emrys is more than I could have hoped for."

Cocking his head Merlin recognised the name people had started giving him. Merlin decided to hear him out, even if it was just so he could hear more about his new name "You've been waiting?"

"For a long time," He barely moved, the lips parting slightly to admit a whispered hush that nevertheless encompassed the surrounding river. "Tales of you have been told for years. Even if you are not what most people would think, you are still Emrys."

"Who are you?" Even as he said it he spotted the crown on the man's head. "The Fisher king?"

The man nodded "I have a gift for you." He reached into his robes slowly and shakily held out what looked to be an hourglass. Water replaced what should have been sand "This is water from the lake that joins with yours. Inside it resides a unique lady. She graciously allowed me to give you some of her waters so that when the time of Albion's need is greatest you will know what to do."

Taking it slowly Merlin looked inside the hourglass as if it would somehow reveal its magic now "Why are you giving this to me?"

"I am old. Too old to go on and see what has been foretold. Yet still I wish it to come to pass and for that to happen you need to have this." He paused and coughed so violently that Merlin was afraid he would die "Also because I ask a favour of you," He continued.

"What might that be then?" He asked hesitantly.

The man smiled as much as his face allowed "It is nothing outside of your capabilities. I simply wish to end. My curse has ran its course and with your blessing I would like to join the rest of my land in dust," He held his arms out creakily.

"You want me to kill you?" He clarified. The man nodded.

Merlin had killed people for less and didn't see the point of denying an old man so he reached out to take him to the river bed when his magic flared up. Forcing itself from Merlin's being it sent itself into the Fisher King and with a gust of wind he was gone.

Merlin sat there for a while looking at the hourglass. He took it underwater, like that might set it off, then decided that it was safer in the boat with Gwaine and hid it under the tatted cloth that had been Gwaine's shirt.

Strangely the sound of the drakon's hunt didn't lesson the second day. Louder it came meaning they had all closed in on their prey. The question was what was keeping them from pouncing. The answer came as a familiar voice joined the screeches. Even from miles off Merlin recognised that voice.

Fear for some reason had invaded his senses. He would rationalise it later as the thought of Arthur being eaten by anyone but him scaring him instead of it just being the fear of Arthur being eaten. Speaking before he thought Merlin was already calling the drakons to him.

Five beasts flew towards him with their scales broke and mutilated by their life in the kingdom. Merlin would have felt sorry for them had they not fought and snapped at him as soon as they landed. It took Merlin singing to them for them to calm into sleep.

Four hours later and his voice had begun to waver. Never had he been more pleased when Gwaine burst through the foliage with an "AH!" at the sleeping beasts.

"I'll send them off," He promised, ceasing his singing.

"Do it quick," Gwaine warned "Arthur's not far behind." Doing as he was bid Merlin sent the drakons back to their home. They went with little protest as their half asleep brains were still dazed at the enchantment Merlin had put on them.

Just as the drakons had left a drawling voice walked into the riverside "I was meant to do it alone," He complained.

Gwaine snorted climbing in the boat "If you had you'd be dead. If it makes you feel better you could just pretend that my being here was just a coincidence," He teased and helped Arthur into the boat with a bowing "Princess."

Arthur scoffed "When I find who sent you..."

"Oh I'm scared," Gwaine mocked and called Merlin over "We'd best go quick."

Nodding Merlin greeted Arthur with a "Small world," And swam to the back to push.

"Indeed," He heard Arthur reply as the oars were taken up and a hissed "What's he doing here?"

"Same thing Gwaine is," He called.

"Really? You know Merlin I wasn't in that much trouble," Arthur spoke over the laugh Gwaine barked out. "And why are you pushing? Do you actually have a fear of boats," He accused.

Merlin ignored Arthur and set about bringing them back to Camelot. As they rowed Arthur filled him in on his journey through the land. About how his sword- Merlin's sword- had been transformed into a bouquet of flowers and how each day he had been steadily growing weaker. It turned out that he hadn't connected his failing health to the phoenix eye and actually bemoaned the loss of it.

Rolling his eyes Merlin changed the subject to something Arthur would preen at "Your wife will be pleased to see you safely returned."

"I didn't-" Gwaine started but Arthur butted in.

"I'm not. Merlin it never happened. Turns out Elena was as much against our union as I was and father had no choice but to call off the wedding." There seemed to be more Arthur wasn't saying but with Gwaine there he refrained himself. Merlin didn't mind all that much.

Merlin left them to set up camp as it got darker. Making an excuse so he could disappear in the water he listened as Arthur got up to hunt something for them.

"You'd best keep your mouth shut," Merlin warned throwing a fish Gwaine's way when the man started whining to himself.

"I will," he glowered at the fish and set about cutting it up. Merlin heard a mumbled "Sick of fish," And threw another three at him before going back to the river bed.

Two hours later and Arthur returned with a rabbit on the claim that they must be too near the Fisher Kings lands for there to be anything good to hunt. A query about the fish and Merlin soon smelt the sickening odour of cooking meat.

"Where's Merlin? He's been gone ages," Merlin flicked his tail lazily in the current as he waited for Gwaine to answer.

"He went to scout ahead. Doesn't trust your sense of direction," Gwaine joked. Nothing more was said, and Merlin figured Gwaine knew he was being overheard.

A silence. "Why did you bring Merlin? He told me you were no more than passing acquaintances last I spoke to him," Merlin ignored the undertone of jealousy in Arthur's voice.

"Gaius told me he knew a safe way to the Fisher King's lands so I went searching for him. He's been quite the help," Gwaine said that part slightly louder than normal as if to show Merlin that he was behaving. Something must have shown on Arthur's face though as he quickly told Arthur that "It isn't like that. As far as I can tell he's not a fan of brunettes."

Arthur hummed sullenly. The fire crackled and as Merlin strained his ears he could hear the rustle of clothing and the clunk of Gwaine fetching something from the boat "I've been meaning to ask, how did you get those?"

"These?" Gwaine laughed "Mermaids! They couldn't keep their hands off me when I went searching for Merlin. It took both of us wrestling them away before I was free."

"Merlin fought them off?" Arthur asked sceptically "He has a treaty with them, why would he jeopardise it by fighting them?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Still Gwaine didn't warn Arthur to run. Merlin was beginning to wonder if the man was stupid. "Speaking of fighting though did you do something to Merlin last you saw him? It's just he seems a little upset."

"Upset? I don't think so," despite denying it Arthur had a note of guilty uncertainty ranging through his answer.

The noise Gwaine made meant that he had heard it too but let it go. They spoke the rest of their hours about their lives in Camelot. With one ear on them Merlin drifted slightly into rest.

The rest of their journey consisted of Gwaine talking most of the time. For some reason he liked to hear himself speak, a lot. Merlin didn't mind it since he was fun to listen to and also because, like him, he had made it his life ambition to annoy Arthur.

As they neared the lake Merlin halted it and urged Gwaine out "I don't think you're welcome anymore," He told him while conveying another message as well. This one telling him that he was letting him go but if Gwaine turns up to the lake again he's fair game.

Looking hesitant Gwaine eventually got out the boat with stilted goodbyes. Merlin had Arthur moving forwards before Gwaine's foot landed on dry land. Towing the boat towards its usual place on the shore to Camelot Arthur turned to him.

"Gwaine said you're upset," Arthur started.

"I'm not," Merlin denied "Gwaine just wants to wind you up."

Arthur didn't look convinced "I'm sorry anyway. Even if you're not angry," He went on to say "It wasn't fair of me to impress my desires when there wasn't any chance of reciprocation to occur."

"Ass," Merlin accused "It's not about that!"

"So you are mad at me," Arthur crowed triumphantly "So what is it about if not that?"

"You wouldn't understand," he sighed. Arthur couldn't understand the fear Merlin felt at these new emotions he was experiencing. How could he relate to Merlin's plight when he didn't know what he was.

"Alright," Arthur conceded "But whatever it is, I'm sorry." A coy look entered his face "Since it's not about the kiss, I don't suppose you'd mind," Already he was leaning down towards Merlin.

Some part of him was telling him not to. He couldn't let Arthur further into his head yet still Merlin allowed himself to be swept up once again in Arthur's lips. Unlike last time there was no chaste before the fire consumed them. This time it was like the kisses he sometimes bestowed on his victims, one last gulp of precious air before they're drowning. Merlin was drowning, he was consumed with emotions that he hadn't thought existed and Arthur was the one pulling him further down into the depths.

A moan from Arthur had Merlin allowing Arthur to pull him up on the side for better access. He didn't care that his tail was flipping helplessly in the air when Arthur moaned again and pulled apart to mutter "You're never near enough," And biting along his jaw, for some reason that had him agreeing to go along with Arthur's intensity. His moves were fevered and frantic as Arthur pulled Merlin closer. The actions bemusing Merlin since he didn't know why he was so desperate to move his hands near where his skin and scales met.

It was that thought again which had Merlin dropping back into the water and leaving Arthur in the boat. He had let himself be caught up again in Arthur's trap.

"Merlin?"

Breathing heavily Merlin could only respond one way "Don't come back."

"Merlin!"

"I mean it! Don't come back, don't try and find me again," He dived deep and stayed there as Arthur muttered and cursed in the boat. Fear was clutching his brain again.

For a minute when he had been kissing Arthur he had wished to be human again. To know what Gwaine meant when he teased Merlin about how humans repopulate. Somehow he knew that it was this which had Arthur so excited and wondered what it was like.

His mother, quite used to him swimming off by now, didn't bat an eyelash as he came in sullenly. She didn't press him about it and didn't ask even as the weeks slipped by.

Autumn soon turned to winter and as Merlin had bid Arthur hadn't returned to the lake. The waters above them hardened to ice close to Yule and though the waters were cold the merfolk weren't one to hibernate through winter.

It seemed the people of Camelot grew stupid when winter came. The hardships that came every year seemed to lessen the threat the merfolk posed to them, after all if they can survive starvation they can survive anything. So they usually came out when the lake froze over to skid and skate tauntingly above them. What was worse was the fact that quite a few hurled insults from above and even one had skewered a mermaid with a poker when he had saw her swimming beneath the ice.

This winter Merlin wasn't occupied with thoughts of Arthur's face when he was annoyed. This time he was looking for a distraction to take his mind off anything to do with Arthur and gladly listened to the people call them from above. It only made him hungrier.

Banding a couple of girls together he took them near the shallows where humans saw them swimming below. The ice was misted over so they saw no features and Merlin had the girls spread themselves out and track the human they wanted to eat. Merlin picked a guard from Camelot, the blonde that he had seen with Morgana and Gwen on occasions. He was casting putrid looks at the ice and warning others not to antagonize the merfolk or skate on their lake. Noble his intentions were Merlin still stalked him as he tried to help someone get up from their fall.

He had told the girls to wait until he had taken down the knight before he cracked the ice for them to pounce and saw them swimming restlessly beneath their chosen targets. Bracing himself, Merlin banged on the ice hard and screamed at the top of his lungs. An air pocket between the ice and water meant that his voice was heard and as he wiped the ice away so was his face.

Recognition dawned on the knight and he called on others to help him as he beat at the ice with his sword. All the while Merlin banged and screamed on the glass for help. The sword had pierced the ice and was back out to slam in again and Merlin smirked triumphantly in his head. Two more whacks and there was a small hole. All seemed to be going to plan for both of them until the knight raised his sword one last time and missed the ice. Falling straight into the hole it lodged itself in Merlin's shoulder.

Both of them shared a look of abject horror as Merlin grasped the sword frantically and tried to pull it out his shoulder. All it did was cut his hands. The knight coming out from his shock pulled the sword up abruptly and Merlin cried out properly this time. He grasped his shoulder with his bleeding hand and looked at the frantic knight. He was yelling and screaming for people to help and as his shoulder twinged Merlin decided it wasn't worth killing him. He sank lower in the water and away from the knights view, shattering the ice for a few of the mermaids to feed, and headed straight for his mother.

An attempt at magic and his mother sewing up the wound when he failed Merlin sulked miserable and hungry at the bottom of the lake. Despite being successful the next times he hunted the slowly healing wound in his shoulder reminded him that he shouldn't try that tactic again.

Spring came and melted the ice on the lake slowly. It also saw the procession of the king journeying down to their lake. Arthur in tow, the king shouted for ten minutes for the merfolk to show themselves. A few fired arrows when some of the girls splashed water their way he gave up and withdrew his men with the threat of elimination to their kind should any of his men see them. All in all, nothing had changed.

As the days passed by and the air grew warm Uther visited the lake again but this time with Morgana. Unlike the king she actually went into their waters until her skirts were drenched and called out for one of the merfolk to see her. She promised that whoever approached wouldn't be harmed.

"What do you think he wants?" He asked his mother.

She was frowning at Morgana in contemplation "I don't know. Stay here," She warned and went to greet Morgana.

Merlin watched with bated breath as the knights drew their swords but didn't fire on his mother. She bowed respectively and asked what they wanted. Their response had his shoulder hurting in phantom pains.

"There was a man who swam here often. We believe he was trapped under the ice at Yuletide. One of our knights tried to help him but unfortunately caused more harm than good. We were wondering if you had his body," His mother looked to the lake. To the procession she probably looked to be deep in thought, to Merlin, he could see the glare and promise of punishment she directed at him.

"I'm sorry my Lady," His mother turned back "Food is scarce during winter. If he had drowned, even by accident, his body will have been gone for weeks now."

Merlin watched as the blonde knight who had skewered him paled dramatically and turned to Arthur. They were conversing in low voices which Merlin didn't care to listen to since his mother had almost finished her conversation with Morgana. Thinking this was the best time to hide, Merlin bolted towards the reeds on the opposite end of the lake.

She had him stringing lyres until his fingers bled in the days that followed. Barely speaking to him except to make him apologise to the others in the lake for what he had brought on them. He was beyond happy when she finally sickened of him and had him go collect reeds for new baskets.

Abandoning his duties he lay the reeds on the bank and dozed in the sun for a while. He did so for the next few days afterwards as well. Never bringing home enough so he could go back and collect more for his mother. She must have known what he was up to yet still she let him go.

On the fifth day he basked in the newly fallen rain on the grass, enjoying how it felt to experience a different kind of texture. The smell of damp was in the air as the wind blew Gwaine's scent towards him. Wondering how many brain cells Gwaine actually possessed he let the man straddle his chest and greet him with a friendly "Merlin."

Barely opening his eyes he flipped them and dragged Gwaine towards the water "I told you," He heaved as Gwaine struggled in his choke-hold "Don't come back to the lake."

They were in the shallows when Gwaine dug his feet into the stones and gained enough air to gasp "The princess is in trouble again. I thought you might like another team up."

Stilling Merlin considered Gwaine's words. Trouble, again? It must have been big too if he asked for Gwaine to come. "What's happened?" He asked changing his hold so Gwaine had the chance to speak as he pulled him in the water.

"Morgana and Morgause have got some kind of cup. Arthur wasn't too specific but he's had to flee Camelot. Right now he's in hiding and the king's imprisoned. As far as I can see he needs our help," Merlin pulled Gwaine in front of him.

"Our help? What exactly does he need me for? If you haven't already guessed it my kind usually doesn't help," Merlin looked down towards where his tail was kicking against Gwaine's legs.

Rolling his eyes Gwaine answered "Don't give me that. He's still alive which means that you don't really want to kill him. If anything you want to help like me, maybe even more so. Come on Merlin he needs us," he urged.

"I can't exactly hold a sword," Merlin pointed out.

Gwaine looked pointedly down like Merlin before "Last I checked your kind didn't need one to take down us lowly humans."

Merlin thought about it but already knew he would agree. Like a fish with bait Arthur had hooked him as soon as he talked to Merlin. Right now he was just trying to haul him in.

"Where's he hiding out?"

Gwaine led him through the river path to an opening that would lead to a spring inside of a cave. It was there that he saw Gaius asleep on the rocky bed. Gwaine took the long route once he had left Merlin and came in the front with a hearty welcome for Arthur who was too far off for Merlin to see. The welcome wasn't returned which boded ill for Arthur's mood at the moment.

Gwaine came through ten minutes later with Arthur following moodily behind him. As soon as he saw Merlin he remembered why it was a bad idea to be there.

"You," Arthur breathed "Leon said..."

"About that," Merlin started "See, I'm-"

"Not dead," Arthur finished. Not exactly what Merlin was going to say but Arthur's lips were in the way of any future dialogue. "How?" He was feeling all around Merlin's face as if to check he was real.

"Well, if you'd let me explain," Merlin pulled himself half out of the water "I'm kind of not human," He let out.

Arthur stilled and for two minutes refused to look down to what Merlin knew he had already pieced together from Merlin's statement.

"You're a..." He finally looked down and jolted away to the other end of the cave, almost tripping over Gaius. "But..."

"See, my mother never really lied to you," Merlin explained "It's just that there wasn't any body to find since I was still alive and- It's not something I can help!" he exploded. Arthur was looking even more distraught than Leon when he stabbed Merlin.

"I can't-" He walked out leaving Merlin, Gaius and Gwaine alone in the cave.

"He took that well," Gwaine noticed. Merlin glared "You're not dead," he pointed out

"Yet," Merlin amended.

"Just give him a minute," Gwaine advised and went to join Arthur further down the cave.

Arthur needed more than a minute to wrap his head around Merlin. During the hissing conversations he could hear between Arthur and Gwaine Gaius woke up. Startled to see him Gaius looked him up and down for any wounds as a hello.

"I'm fine," Merlin told him.

"Forgive me for being sceptical," Gaius countered and heard a particularly loud comment Arthur raised. "Does-"

"He knows," Merlin filled Gaius in. In turn Gaius told Merlin everything that had happened in Camelot. What Gwaine said was true, Morgana had usurped Uther and taken Camelot for herself with the help of Morgause and King Cenred's army. The words news was that the soldiers were immortal. "Does that mean if I eat one they'll just form together in my stomach?" The idea both fascinated and cautioned him.

Gaius raised his eyebrow and pointed out that "I suppose you'll find out."

"I don't think I'm coming," Merlin commented. He pointed towards the secret conversation happening "Arthur doesn't look too pleased with my revelation."

Gaius just said hopefully that "You're not dead. There's hope yet."

"Wonderful."

A day passed with nothing happening. Merlin dipped out of the cave to fetch something to eat and brought back some meat for Gaius. The other two didn't seem to want anything to do with Merlin at the moment, though for Gwaine it was just because he was trying to bring Arthur around.

The second day had Arthur barely acknowledging Merlin except for him to fetch food for them. It seemed that Merlin had been demoted to servant as his way of helping. He didn't complain, much, and brought a buck in for them to share. Gwaine was particularly impressed since last time they had journeyed together all he had gotten was fish.

"It means he likes you more," Gwaine had joked to Arthur. The man hadn't found it funny.

That night they had almost settled in when Merlin warned of people approaching. Diving down he listened as Gwaine and Arthur drew their swords and approached the mouth of the cave. Arthur came back in with the brown haired girl Gwen in tow with Leon the knight that had 'killed' him. They were informing Arthur about Camelot when Leon broke off with a shout when Merlin lounged on the side of the pool again.

"You're dead!"

"Nope," He informed glaring at the arm slung around Gwen's shoulders. When had they become so familiar?

Gwaine tried to fill him in on Merlin as the merman informed them that they had other visitors approaching. Thinking it was more allies they were relaxed as they went to confront whoever was at the entrance.

Merlin smelled her before Arthur called out it was Morgana. Turning to Gaius he asked if the man knew how to swim.

"Why?"

"You need to get out of here. It smells like she's brought some of her immortal army with her," He told and heard the sounds of fighting outside "Quickly," He reached for Gaius and pulled him in the water "Sling your arms over my neck," He secured Gaius on his back and told him to take a deep breath as he swam out of the cave and into the forest.

Breaking the surface as quick as they could he skimmed the water to Gaius' sputtering. Taking the man as far away from the fighting as possible they waited in a little nook until the sun went down.

"Thank you," Gaius said wringing out his robes again.

"I'm here to help," Merlin chimed. Gaius nodded and asked Merlin if he could sniff out Arthur's location.

With the old man refusing to swim again it took longer than expected to reach Arthur and his band. Two more had joined since last they saw him. Gaius checked them each over for wounds.

"Merlin got me out as soon as he smelt Morgana," he told. Gwaine sent a pointed look at Arthur.

"Hey, you're the pretty boy," Merlin remembered pointing at one of the newcomers.

"Pretty boy?" Gwaine smirked.

"All the girls liked him," He smiled back "One of them even went for a kiss if I remember. He thought she was attacking him," Gwaine dissolved in fits of laughter.

"Wait!" The man recognised him too "You're the one from the lake. You're one of them?"

Merlin shrugged in response "It's weird but you aren't very good at spotting my kind," Merlin observed "The only one who got it their first try was Gaius and that's because I was injured."

They sent questioning looks to Gaius. The old man ignored them in favour of asking where they were going to stay now the cave was compromised. Luckily Arthur had a solution and they were off trekking towards some castle. Merlin followed as best he could with Gwaine helping him meet back up with them if he had to veer off into different rivers.

Still he was laughing at Lancelot's meeting with Merlin when Leon told Gwaine "I don't know what you're laughing at. From what Arthur told me the mermaids were more interested in eating you than kissing you."

"Are you calling me undesirable?" Gwaine shot back "I'll have you know I too was kissed by their fair lips. Even Merlin had a go. I doubt 'Pretty boy' got a snog from Merlin," He crowed.

Lancelot shared an amused look with Merlin behind their backs. He had taken to talking with him when he saw the familiar way Merlin and Gwen were behaving. It seemed though their situations differed they were both the victims of cruel love.

The castle they found had a moat which was as far as Merlin could travel. Percival, who was Lancelot's companion, stayed down with him for a while. Not much of a talker he just watched Merlin swim around for a while, he may have showed off a little when he realised this.

Lancelot came down to join them later when the cosy atmosphere upstairs became too much. The silence was relieved but the conversation was lacking. Both of them had their minds on upstairs to do much more than talk idly about the coming battle.

They left when it got cold. The stifling atmosphere upstairs was enough to bear for some warmth and Lancelot retreated with Percival upstairs. When they were gone Merlin truly wondered what he was doing there. Arthur didn't want him now he knew Merlin was a merman. He was useless with his tail hindering his movement on land, so what could he actually offer their coming battle? Gwaine seemed to have some inkling but didn't share it with Merlin.

Sighing, he pulled himself up on the flat Percival had sat on before and watched as the light darkened the colours of his tail.

"Are you still awake?" Was called down.

"Yes," Merlin answered and Arthur came hesitantly down to where he was sitting.

Further apart than they had been even with a boat Arthur joined Merlin in watching his tail glitter. "Gwaine said you were going to eat me."

Merlin hummed "I was."

"Was? What changed?" Arthur drew himself closer from the cold.

Answering honestly he recited "It became more fun to annoy you. I liked hearing the notes of distress in your voice as I made the boat rock or untied it and left it out on the lake-"

"Bloody knew it," Arthur muttered.

Huffing a laugh he continued "Then I liked you. You came with all these stories about Camelot and each time you came you didn't know what I was. It became a kind of game, to see how long it would take you... then you kissed me and I don't know. The urge to kill you has been gone for years now."

"So you weren't going to drown me when I came back from my quest," Gwaine!

Grunting he said "No. I felt like it, but I was just annoyed because you made me want to..."

"Want to what?" Merlin shook his head "We're going into battle Merlin. If you're coming with us I need to know everything now."

Sighing Merlin confessed "You made me want to have feet. Like what my father did for my mother. I wanted to see what it would be like on land and it scared me because I like being me. I've never wanted to be human before and at that moment I did. I contemplated that if I just got rid of you then I wouldn't feel like that again."

"Yet you didn't kill me," Arthur noted.

"No, I've just said I only thought about it. Just because the killing instinct is gone when it comes to you doesn't mean that I don't still contemplate it," Arthur turned to him then. The barrier was down between them and he started on his interrogation into everything that Merlin had done in relation to him.

He told about being injured when he went sightseeing in Camelot which is how he met Gaius. He recounted the story of Lancelot and Gwaine. He even told Arthur about Leon's near death in winter.

At the end of it all Arthur hadn't strictly forgiven him but Merlin could see that he was nearing it. "Anything else you want to confess?"

Merlin thought about it for a moment "That sword you have, it's mine. I was the one who set the dragon free."

Arthur scoffed and pushed his shoulder lightly "I already knew that when I came back from the lake," He grinned.


	4. Chapter 4

Lancelot heaved gulps of air in his mouth as they resurfaced once again. Merlin was swimming them through the rivers of Camelot's water supply and, so far, Lancelot wasn't much for stealth. True, it was partly because Merlin forgot humans had to breathe.

"I think this is far enough," Merlin told him. They were at the marble corridor where the little druid boy had lent him some light. "People come and go through here so make sure you're not seen," He warned as Lancelot gladly got out of the water.

"I'll meet you near the dungeons," Lancelot promised and headed down the corridor.

Flaring his orb brighter, Merlin descended down the familiar bank until he came to the three tunnels. It turned out that the middle one led to the dungeons of Camelot. Flooded high for practicality reasons there was no way an ordinary prisoner could escape. Luckily Merlin didn't need to breathe air and found it easy to break the grate into the dungeon.

Pulling himself up he stopped a moment when he realised the sticky substance on his hands wasn't dirt. Making a face he flung his arms around wildly to get the waste off and set to work.

He started his voice low so as not to alarm the guards. Steaily, he made his voice louder until all those guarding Camelot's knights were surrounding him. Wiping his hands on one of their tunics he thought he did a good job as a distraction. Absently he still sang as he twisted a word in the song to that of a spell to open the locks and free the dungeon doors.

Confused knights tumbled through the open bars. They watched Morgause's men crowd around someone and Merlin thanked every God he knew when he heard Arthur. He hissed at them to ignore the singing and follow him into battle. Only Gwaine stayed behind as per the plan.

Pushing his way through the guards Gwaine set up in a defensible corner and motioned for Merlin to start.

Merlin tapped his finger to his cheek in thought as he looked at the immortal guards in front of him. Deciding on one he lunged and dragged the man under. He could vaguely hear the shouts as the rest of them came awake but was too focused on his starter. Arthur had given him free reign on these men and he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity for an immortal food source.

The man thrived and punched yet Merlin had him in bits in seconds. Pulling himself up, he dragged the man nearest Gwaine in next when he saw the man side step a close swipe. They continued on that pattern until there wasn't any men left.

"I don't think they were immortal," Merlin mused picking his teeth.

Gwaine panted by the wall. l "I beg to differ. It's probably the fact you're eating them instead of stabbing. I doubt anything could come back from your jaws."

Merlin hummed his agreement and went onto phase two. Gwaine went around the long way as Merlin circled back to where he had left Lancelott. They were to try the same tactic again with Gwaine bringing along as many men he encountered while Merlin let his voice ring out.

Twenty men later and Merlin was staring up at the ceiling distraught. "I don't think I can go on," He moaned holding his stomach.

"Come on Merlin we've got another hundred in the castle alone," Gwaine encouraged.

"It would have been better if we had Arthur's sword, well, my sword. It has magical powers," He told Gwaine.

"Does it now?" Gwaine was dangling his legs over the edge of the pool in a brief respite from the fighting. "Don't suppose you could get me one?"

"Ask the dragon," Merlin told him and pulled himself up. "Maybe just a couple more," He mused and started singing again.

The castle started shaking as screams pierced the air. Merlin had just ate the equivalent of a small dragon when Gwaine was abruptly thrown into the wall. Danger had Merlin shuffling over to the pool, trying to drag Gwaine with him.

"Merlin?" He looked around at Morgana's voice. Distraught, she was towing Morgause who dangled unconsciously in her arms.

"Morgana," Merlin bowed and got back to his task.

"You're a-" She cut herself off "Of course you are," She growled "And you're working for Arthur."

Merlin turned around again in the hopes of talking to her calmly when he too was thrown back and knocked out.

He woke in water, which was always a good sign. What wasn't were two witches watching him from below. It seemed the water had been enchanted into some kind of hovering sphere. It kept him from reaching anything too dangerous if he wanted to remain alive and threatened a nasty drop were he to consider it.

"I take it I'm not being let go any time soon," He started.

The blonde Morgause got up and walked towards him. Her face was deformed, stretched out into a burn.

"He's unhurt sister," She assured Morgana. Glancing at Morgana he decided she too didn't look that good. But unlike her sister she was in decidedly better health. "Healthy enough to do what we wish in any case."

"That doesn't sound good," He said and appealed to Morgana "What have I done to you? Sure I ate some of your army but it's been quite a dry season on the lake. Immortal meat was too good to pass up." It didn't seem to be working. Ice stared out of what used to be kind eyes "I thought we were friends."

"You were just waiting to kill me," Morgana accused. There was a difference in her tone. Before she had some of her warmth left in her. This time her tone spoke nothing but hatred. For him, Arthur and anyone else who had wronged her.

"And you me if you knew. Don't think I haven't forgotten those archers firing at us after Yuletide," He taunted right back.

"I wouldn't," She defended. "I want to help our kind. Yet you side with Arthur. What's he going to do for us Merlin? For the magic born! He'll bring about a purge greater than Uther's. You side with someone who will kill you as soon as he sees you again."

"And you're no different? Face it Morgana, if your failed attempt at usurping has taught me anything it's that you're just as bad as Uther. How many people did you kill in your takeover. Knights, peasants? If you say you're for our kind then who's for those who don't have magic? Are they to be just pawns for you to bargain over if something doesn't go your way?"

"And what do you care about it?" She was almost hitting his little bubble of water "You kill people. What does it matter who's on the throne so long as you eat."

"It doesn't" He shrugged.

"Then why did you side with Arthur?" She insisted.

"He asked me to," Merlin said simply. "He asked me to help him and I did. I'm sorry if I haven't fought for you but it wasn't you down by the lake."

She calmed slightly "So you would have if I'd asked?"

"I'm not saying that," He negated and turned to Morgause who had been steadily watching him. "For what purpose do you have me here?"

She smiled with her face drooping even more somehow as she did so and hobbled over to the camp-fire.

"Sister," She called and Morgana helped her to sit. "Put that in and get a lock of his hair," She ordered handing something over. "Have you ever seen a hungry mermaid sister? They're quite a sight to behold. Losing all their inhibitions until they can't help but give in to the one thing they know sustains them."

Morgana did as she was bade as Morgause talked. Merlin tried to keep away from her but with the threat of dehydration only a fall away he didn't have much choice in the end. As soon as his hair was burnt Morgause spoke the words of the Old Religion.

Merlin watched it turn blue, gold and finally red. It stayed that colour as Morgana picked up one of the burning logs and walked over to him. Touching the magic fire to his bubble Merlin expected it to fizzle out. He hadn't expected the bubble to burn.

Heat scorched his skin and had him gulping for breath. Turning and curling inwards to protect himself he felt pain latch itself onto his tail. Pretty soon he found himself unconscious again.

He awoke in the same place he had before. Only now he wasn't in a bubble, he was on the forest floor and freezing. Merlin didn't know what it was at first but as his bones shivered he realised this was what humans did in the winter. He curled into himself further and wrapped his arms around his unresponsive tail.

Merlin let out a wail. His tail was gone! In its place were legs, awful human legs. He felt sick when he realised what those witches had done to him.

Trying to sit up he couldn't find the leverage from his new appendages. Not knowing how to move them and refusing to acknowledge they were there made it hard for him to do so. Merlin wasn't a proud man and therefore could freely admit he wept for a while on the forest floor. Especially when he saw what else he had along with legs.

After a while he used the tree's to pull himself up. He had a plan. Camelot had his magic book, if Arthur hadn't destroyed it, so that was where he would go. That was where he would get his tail back. Steadying himself until he was balancing on his new legs he tried to move them like he had seen humans do. One foot. He was flat on the floor.

Growling in frustration he tried again. And again. Again, until he managed a system of tiny steps and magic to help keep him up.

It was nightfall when he found his first source of water. Crying with joy he recognised it as the small stream where the fish went to the outlying villages. He wasn't that far from Camelot. A half days swim if he remembered. But back then he had a tail. Now he had useless legs that wouldn't even work properly.

An ache in his throat had him reaching out to the water and gulping it down. The odd taste of water not alleviating it, he set off again in the hopes that Gaius could tell him what this ache was along with helping him return to normal.

Daybreak came and Merlin was leaning heavily on a branch to catch his breath. Never before had he done this, felt so tired. Humans were awful! He got his breath back and started walking again.

It took longer than half a day to get to Camelot's main gates. People had stopped and pointed in the street when held onto their houses to help him. It wasn't his fault he couldn't walk.

Dragging himself into the courtyard he was more than happy to see "Gwaine!" The man had been lounging on the stone steps of the castle but now he looked up.

Shock caught his features and had him running over to help Merlin. He stopped in front of him and surveyed his new look with obvious interest. "I'll ask later," He promised and pulled Merlin as much on top of him as he could. "Come on, let's get you to Gaius."

People stared and pointed again as they passed them in the courtyard. They saw Gwen and Lancelot on their way with the latter quickly coming to his aid.

"How'd-"

"Not now. Gwen tell Arthur. And tell him to fetch some clothes," Gwaine ordered. Gwen left with a blush on her cheeks.

"Clothes?" Merlin had never worn clothes before.

"No offence Merlin but you're kind of naked," Lancelot observed.

"I am?" he looked down and then at the other two "Is that a problem? I always thought you wore those things because you were cold all the time."

Gwaine laughed heartily as he pushed his way into a small chamber "Gaius! We have a visitor," He called and soon enough the elderly man was emerging from a small room at the back.

One look and he had Merlin on a bed and feeling his new legs. "Does this hurt?" He stabbed lightly at Merlin's leg.

"Ow! Yes," He pulled his leg to him.

"Extraordinary," Gaius breathed and went to fetch one of his books.

Arthur came in not long after Gaius pulled another three books off the shelves. Dishevelled and arms laden with clothes. He searched frantically until he saw Merlin. The clothes didn't stay in his arms when he did.

"Merlin?"

"Yep," He affirmed and looked at pile of shirts "Are those for me?"

Gwaine fetched what Arthur was too shocked to pick up and braced Merlin against him to slide him into a shirt and breeches. Merlin didn't like them as soon as he put them on.

Pulling at the laces as soon as Gwaine set him down he asked "Are you sure nakedness is a problem?"

"For you? Nah," Gwaine waved away "I'd say people would be happy to see you walking around all the time. Especially with your new cock," Lancelot hit him in the shoulder. "What? You have to admit whoever did this done a good job," He defended himself from another hit.

"I'm sorry Merlin," Lancelot turned to him "You'll get used to them eventually."

"Eventually? I don't want to get used to them," He pouted and pulled again at his laces.

Arthur, who until that moment had been stationary, turned to Gaius "Is it reversible?"

Gaius frowned at his reading "I don't know sire. Tell me Merlin, how did this happen to you?"

He took a break from expanding his shirt to tell them about Morgana and Morgause. At the end of his tale he stopped for the many questions before asking again whether it was reversible.

"From what you tell me... I'll have to do some research," Gaius pulled down more books.

Merlin sighed thinking about his mother. "I wish my father were still around," He mused "He'd fix this."

"He would?" Lancelot asked absently. He was helping Gaius with his pile.

"He did it to my mother. He loved her and turned her human for a while," The pile was dropped as they all stared at him. "What?"

"Well where is he?" Arthur demanded "He could change you back."

Merlin cast a sceptical look at Arthur "You know what happened to him. You were there when he said goodbye to her." Blankness stayed on Arthur's face.

The others were casting curious looks between the two of them as Gaius gasped "Balinor."

Arthur turned pale and looked beseechingly at Gaius "Please don't tell me it's him."

"It is," Merlin confirmed "It's okay though. I don't blame you," He patted Arthur's arm consolingly.

The prince leaned into his touch. Gaius went to collect more books as the silence lengthened "Did you know?" Merlin cast Arthur a questioning look "When I came to see you. Telling you about the dragonlord, did you know he was your father? Is that why you were asking me all those questions?"

Merlin shook his head "I didn't find out until he came to the lake. I was just asking because I was curious as to what kind of man you were. You're surprising."

Arthur snorted "Thanks."

"It's a compliment. Take it," Merlin urged.

Arthur turned to Gaius "How long will this research take before you have a definitive answer?"

Gaius glared, Arthur obviously didn't know how long it took to read one of those tomes. "I don't know sire. I'll make sure you hear when I do."

"Until then," Gwaine clapped him on the shoulder "How about you bunk with me? Arthur's given me some nice new quarters, I'd be happy to share," he leered.

Merlin smirked but was cut off by Arthur telling him "You're staying with me, no arguments." And glared at Gwaine as he lifted Merlin up and out of the room.

They took the stairs up and up the castle towards one of the towers. A long floor stretched out before leading up again and it was here that Arthur veered off and into a room that looked the size of a small pool. Depositing Merlin on the bed he called for one of the servants to send food and wine up.

Days he stayed in Camelot. By night huddled up next to Arthur as the chill of winds affected his human skin. By day laughing with the knights as they tried to teach him to be human. Gwaine had taken the responsibilities of introducing Merlin to human food. It made him feel bad when he ate it and had started to throw away most of it to the dogs when he could.

Lancelot helped him learn to walk. Patient and kind, he stayed with Merlin through his tantrums and complaints until Merlin could walk the length of the room. Merlin thought Lancelot was only helping him because Gwen still hadn't stopped being overly affectionate with Arthur.

Leon was a kind knight that forgave Merlin for trying to eat him and taught him how to read. Merlin learnt that the rectangular wooden shelf was Arthur's desk and that was where he did most of his work these days. Uther had confined himself to his chambers in a fit of insanity. He had destroyed half of what was in there one day until Arthur calmed him. The next he slumped into a daze at the window to which he hadn't broken out of since.

Gwen had a brother called Elyan that was wary of Merlin at first. But with Gwaine around would gladly help Merlin down into the courtyard so he could tell him about what happened in Camelot. Percival joined them sometimes but Merlin liked it better when it was the giant alone. The man would drag Arthur's big bath out and order servants to fetch water so Merlin could soak for hours in familiarity.

"You're going to get wrinkles," Arthur warned. Strutting in his rooms he hadn't even needed to look over at Merlin to know he was soaking again.

"Don't care," He shared a kind smile with Percival who had risen to bow.

Arthur waved Percival down and retreated to his desk. "Don't stay in too long," He retorted and set about organising his things again.

Merlin turned back to Percival "She won't be that worried. I go off all the time these days. A couple of weeks won't hurt her," The knight had asked whether he should go to the lake and inform his mother.

"If you're sure," Percival's said.

"I am," He agreed "Besides you'd get tore apart as soon as they saw you." Percival raised a sceptical eyebrow and looked appraisingly at his bulk. "You may seem strong but believe me, you're nothing compared to us. We're given strength to pull down ships. A few muscles are hardly an inconvenience." Percival lowered his arms and swallowed slightly.

"No going to the lake then," He agreed.

Merlin laughed at the horror stuck expression on Percival's face as he left. He had looked Merlin over then back to his arms as if sizing the two of them up. The result had left him clutching his stomach as the man walked back to his rooms.

He curled up slightly but sat up straight when his arm brushed something in the water. Looking down at his cock, (Arthur had shown him it's original purpose when Merlin declared the urge to do something one night.) instead of it lying flaccid it was poking into his stomach.

"Arthur!" He called with panic lacing his voice.

The man sighed but dutifully came over "What is it Merlin?"

Merlin pointed "There's something wrong with it." Arthur looked like Merlin was pulling a joke on him when he noticed the problem.

Then he seemed to come back to himself "Right," He muttered. Fetching a towel he told Merlin to dry himself off and then proceeded to give him the most scarring talk Merlin had ever experienced.

"I can't believe humans do that," He muttered, erection gone as soon as Arthur muttered the name for it.

"It isn't that awful," Arthur defended.

"Oh sure, I'll just stick it up you then," He snapped hysterically. Arthur coloured and looked down at his work

"Well what do your people do?" Arthur countered.

"Not that!" Merlin insisted and went to sit on the bed "I think I might sleep. Wash this whole conversation from my mind," He muttered and threw the towel away. Arthur had gotten used to Merlin abandoning clothes when it came to night, even if he did end up shivering as a result.

"Good night then," the prince sighed and went back to his work.

Gwaine had brought an array of meats and cheeses the next morning with a pint of mead. Arthur looked happy to share their morning banquet as Gwaine thrust plate after plate at Merlin.

"I don't really want to," He poked at the food. It still didn't settle properly in his stomach.

"Come on Merlin you'll love it!" Gwaine insisted. Arthur had already demolished three plates and was reclining watching them.

"Just try it Merlin, or we'll never get rid of him," the barb hit harmlessly off Gwaine.

Sighing he did. It didn't taste that bad going down and the mead he tried washed it nicely in his throat. Eating morehe tried the other assortments of food on offer.

"That's the spirit Merlin," Gwaine clapped.

Lancelot had taken their walking lessons out in the courtyard that day. After practice with the knights he had came in with Percival to carry Merlin down. He soon saw why the courtyard was the place to be as Gwen stood talking with Arthur a ways off.

Lancelot helped him stroll through the stone paths and even let him attempt steps as he idly kept one eye on the way Gwen was sidling closer to Arthur.

"Why don't you just tell her," Percival suggested from Merlin's other side.

Lancelot looked up "It's not as simple as that," He sighed.

"Why not?" Merlin inquired. "She likes you, and you'd be doing me a favour," He smirked. Lancelot rolled his eyes.

"Do you even know what to do with Arthur?" He helped Merlin up from his stumble.

"As a matter of fact I do," He recalled the conversation taken place the night before with distaste. "Humans are so odd."

Lancelot laughed "Well so are you then. You're one of us now after al-" Merlin lurched to the side as his insides twisted and rejected his breakfast. Just as it had since he came to Camelot, everything he ate or drank came back up and out onto the streets. Lancelot rubbed his back as Merlin retched one last time and had Percival lift him up. "Are you alright?"

"We should take him to Gaius," Percival suggested already heading there.

"No," Merlin objected "It's nothing. I don't think my stomach's adjusted to cooked meat yet is all," He excused.

Percival hesitated with Lancelot at the archway. They knew such things happened and to interrupt Gaius' research for something as trivial as Merlin's stomach seemed stupid. With a little more bargaining he had Percival set him down again for another walking session.

It turned out that Merlin's stomach didn't want to handle cooked meats any time in the future. Three weeks he had been in Camelot and still he couldn't keep anything down. He had made sure no one else knew and was discreetly sick elsewhere.

Dawning on the fourth week he was feverish with hunger and begging Arthur to get Gaius hurrying with his research. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out as a human. The fifth week came and still nothing. Merlin had stopped his walking lessons since he no longer needed them. Still, he preferred to stay in the castle and mostly lounge on Arthur's bed or in his bath. He would dream wonderfully about the night he had stormed the castle with the knights. The taste of flesh and blood dripping down his throat.

He vaguely heard Arthur walk into the room and settle at his desk to sort out the kingdom. His mind conjured up another wonderful image of his banquet. The smell of human high on his nostrils as his voice took away what little will they had.

Groaning he wasn't surprised to find himself hard. Turning to his stomach he watched as the firelight played with the blonde in Arthur's hair. He followed it's glare onto his skin and the line of frustration etched deeply into Arthur's brow.

He hadn't known he had gotten up and watched with surprise as his fingers smoothed away Arthur's worry lines. Gently, he eased himself onto Arthur's lap.

"Merlin!" Arthur protested but he hardly heard him over the smell of human. He wondered if Arthur tasted as nice as those others. He had always wanted to kill Arthur, maybe he hadn't stopped wanting to kill him.

He ran his fingers through Arthur's hair and to his nape, tilting his head up so Merlin could get a taste of Arthur. The man didn't object, in fact he seemed overjoyed that Merlin was kissing him. Groaning in his mouth and pulling Merlin closer.

Breaking away Merlin licked and kissed his way down Arthur's jaw to his neck. He could hear the blood pumping and feel the veins thumping against his tongue. Biting, he tried to tear away that noise. An abrupt thrust up had Merlin unseated and sprawled panting against Arthur's neck. The prince was rolling his hips up and clutching at Merlin's to engage him as well. The feeling coming from his cock had been what shocked him.

Arthur had spoke of the act being pleasurable but until that moment Merlin had never really believed him. With a new purpose in mind Merlin clutched just as hard as Arthur to get that feeling back. Aligning himself with Arthur through his breeches he managed to send another jolt of pleasure coursing through him.

Arthur was moaning in his ear and Merlin didn't blame him. One hand slid from Merlin's hip and rubbed up his bare chest to where Merlin was blocking it from reaching higher. Going down instead it brushed against Merlin's cock making him bite harshly into Arthur's skin as the new feeling registered with his brain.

He pushed Arthur's hand further down again and even without Merlin trying it latched on and started to stroke. Twisting at the top Merlin moaned and writhed on Arthur's lap. Turning the prince' head again he breathed in the heavier smell that came with Arthur's arousal and kissed him as skilfully as he could while trying to replicate what Arthur was doing through the prince's breeches.

He got something right as Arthur panted his name through his busy lips and thrust up in time with his strokes. Delving deeply into Arthur's mouth he tasted what he had missed for weeks. Human, and so delicious. Biting down until he drew blood Merlin was yanked harshly away with the lingering taste of Arthur in his mouth as the prince stuttered to a stop.

His hand resumed it's stroking after a brief pause and Merlin revelled in the red on his lips. Lunging for Arthur's exposed throat he felt his stomach tighten and release as liquid ran between them. He didn't care, not when Arthur was laughingly trying to push him from his neck.

Merlin held on and bit harder at the giving flesh. Tearing in fervour as his hunger overrode his other senses. He heard Arthur shouting through muffled ears and didn't realise he was doing anything wrong until he woke up in Gaius' chambers.

Tied to a chair the knights were armed and surrounding him with bleak faces. Arthur was being wrapped up by Gaius who was muttering about being blind.

"What happened?" He asked taking in Gwaine's mournful expression.

"You don't remember?" Merlin had a vague recollection of being hungry. His stomach let out a wail.

"I need something to eat," he answered weakly.

Gaius came over with a tired look on his face. Up close Merlin could see his veins pumping blood underneath his willing skin and snapped his teeth harshly at him.

"I'm sorry my lord," This he addressed to Arthur while looking at Merlin "It seems our initial assumption was wrong." He moved back and Merlin moaned pitifully as his stomach lurched.

"I don't understand," Arthur choked out. His voice was gravelly and there was red surrounding the bandages on his neck.

"Try not to speak my lord," Gaius advised and had Arthur sit back a little. Turning to the others and Merlin he explained "When you gained legs we assumed you were fully human. It seems we were wrong. The only differences are that you have legs and can survive on land." He looked specifically at Merlin "Lancelot told me you haven't been keeping your food down Merlin. It's not because you're adjusting it's because you can't. Merfolk can only survive on living or cold flesh. Any water substance will also make you sick since your kind requires no hydration except for that of your skin. Only this too has gone. It seems that this was Morgause's plan. When she told you about how desperate merfolk get when they're hungry she was saying it because that was what she was going to do. Have you infiltrate Camelot and be welcomed by all of us as we tried to help. We weren't to know that you were steadily getting hungrier until you had no choice but to try and kill the nearest living thing."

The knights all looked pityingly at Arthur as he drew himself up defensively. "What do we do?" Leon asked his hand reaching for his sword.

"We ask the one person who has been transformed like this before. Your mother might have the insight we need Merlin," Gaius soothed.

They set off for the lake the next day. Gaius along with them they made it just before sunset. Merlin had been tied and gagged for the ride. Caged in metal bars they towed him along like an animal. Gwaine had tried to make conversation but with his mouth bound Merlin wasn't much of a talker.

Setting his sights on his home Merlin felt his heart break. Too long he had been away. Gwaine and Percival tugged Merlin out and as he started struggling they threw him into the water and stepped back.

No doubt the merfolk thought him a prisoner, one he spotted had chucked a lyre at Sir Leon. He needed to sit down for a while.

Gaius pushed Merlin further into the lake and stepped back as he turned and tried to snap at him. It took some time for the merfolk to accept that the knights weren't going to fire crossbows if they moved. Even longer for his mother to come out of the water and hesitantly embrace him.

"I was so worried," She took the gag off him "What kind of mess did you get yourself into this time?"

"Some witches gave me legs," He complained like a child. She pulled him to her.

"We were hoping you could help us," Gaius started. His mother was quick to hiss as soon as he got too close to them. "We mean no harm, in fact we wish to undo the spell on Merlin. But for that we're going to need to know what Balinor did to you," Gaius filled his mother in with Merlin's tales in Camelot.

By the end of it she was looking Merlin over frantically "Half starved you poor boy. Your father at least had the decency to let me eat," She glared at the knights who shuffled guiltily.

"They didn't know," Merlin defended.

"They do now. And yet you still come here with nothing in your stomach," That was a good point. He joined her, glaring at the knights.

Gaius tried again to get his mother to be co-operative. "Could you tell us the spell Balinor spoke to reverse your legs?"

She looked defiant for all of two seconds before slumping onto Merlin. "I wish I did. I don't know magic and at the time it seemed such an insignificant detail." She looked agonisingly at Merlin.

"It's not your fault," He comforted as best he could tied up. Turning to Gaius "What do we do now?"

"Get you some food for one thing," She demanded of the knights.

"I'm not offering," Gwaine held his hands up "One time was enough."

Merlin cocked his head to the side as he recalled their quest for the fisher king. "Mother, is that hourglass thing still at home?" She nodded "Can you get it?"

Ten minutes later and Arthur was fiddling around with the hourglass. Not being allowed to talk meant he had to regale his scepticism to Merlin with looks.

"Try smashing it," Gwaine called for the fifth time. Arthur glared at him.

"What did the Fisher King say to you again?" Lancelot tried.

Merlin groaned "It'll help when Albion needs it the most."

"Well then," Gwaine took the hourglass from Arthur "That settles it. It won't work."

"It has to," Merlin insisted.

"I'm with Gwaine. I mean we're not exactly in trouble here," Leon chimed in. He cast a wary look over to the surfaced mermaids as he did and waved at them.

"I just tore the throat out of your prince. I'd say we're in trouble," Merlin argued and told Gwaine to give it back to Arthur.

Gwaine went over to the prince who was rubbing his wound lightly and tried to hand the hourglass back. If it wasn't for the fact his feet caught it would have arrived safely. As it was Gwaine went sprawling on top of Arthur with the hourglass flung in the vicinity of the floor. A smash had them all cringing and Arthur breaking his advised silence to scream himself hoarse at Gwaine.

Merlin slithered over towards where the glass was laying and looked despondently at the mess. He couldn't pick up any of the pieces with his hands bound and had to watch as the water and his last hope drained into the earth.

It seemed like some kind of magic was at work since as soon as it had sank it resurfaced. Forming one large puddle Merlin peered into it. A woman was staring out at him, brown hair and doe like eyes she smiled kindly at him.

"It seems you're in need," Merlin nodded and heard the knights gasp and climb on top of him to see. Merlin let out his usual hisses at the close contact so they backed off and let him see her alone. "Don't worry Merlin, your destiny has made it so that you can be of both worlds."

"It's reversible. You know the spell?" He asked eagerly.

She nodded "All you have to do is close your eyes," He did as he was bid and repeated the words after she spoke them. His magic flared up with the help of the lady and he felt the breeches he had been given tear as his legs tried to join together again. Unlike the first time there was no pain, the melding together of skin was warm and welcoming in him.

"Thank you," He breathed.

"One last thing," She called and Merlin raised himself up to see her again "You're a creature of both worlds Merlin. Magic and human, this means that you can be the bridge between us."

Merlin frowned "What?"

She looked pointedly at Arthur who was edging closer slightly to see what she was pointing at. Merlin thought back to what Morgana was telling him in the clearing. About how Arthur would be just as bad as Uther for persecuting his and all magical kind. Looking into his kind face Merlin thought that wasn't true. Arthur hadn't killed him when Merlin had shown him about his identity. Nor had he rejected him when Merlin told about his stunt with the dragon and his abilities in magic. Some would argue that it was Arthur's affection for Merlin that had him spared but Merlin knew this to be false. He had went to fetch his father when times were bad in Camelot and thought that he should be let go for his services. A man who believed all magic was evil wouldn't have done such a thing.

"What?" Arthur looked around at what Merlin was staring at.

Shaking his head he looked into the puddle again but the lady was gone. Pulling himself up he shuffled to his mother and let her untie his bonds. Slipping in the water was one of the greatest experiences of his life. No more getting wrinkles for staying in too long. He didn't need to come up for air every second and best of all he felt at peace. The hunger was there but it was pushed to the back of his mind by the currents as they cradled him.

His mother joined him soon, telling him that the others had went back to Camelot. He felt a pang of sadness as he heard this. The knights had become something like friends to him, something he hadn't really had. The mermaids were more annoying than anything since it was all just a competition to see who was going to get which human or gossip all the time. At Camelot he had started being interested in what people were doing to escape his own boredom and found that he actually liked these people. After his mother bade him eat he joined her back in their home as the sun set on his reunion.

Merlin scowled at the boat from where he was sitting on the bank. It had been a month and no one had come to visit him. He wondered if they had thought of him the same he had thought of them but soon cut that thought off. It did no good to dwell on sadness when anger was so much easier to channel.

He watched as a rabbit came to drink from their waters and charmed it closer for something to do. Absently petting it he glared once again at the boat and decided that if no one visited him tomorrow he was going to them.

The tunnels of Camelot were much bloodier than he remembered. The walls hadn't been cleaned from the damage he had wrought and Merlin cringed at a particular bloody scratch down the wall. It didn't look like it would be easy to clean.

Pulling himself onto the marble he extinguished his orb and started singing through the castle. Naturally Gwaine was the first to answer with a dazed look on his face. Lancelot and Leon came stumbling his way after a while as well so Merlin lifted the song and glared at them when they were all close enough.

"Well," He demanded.

Gwaine frowned at the tunnel "How-"

"Well what?" Lancelot asked. He too looked disorientated but was able to answer his question.

"What do you mean 'well what?' It's been a month and not one of you have come to the lake!" He raged.

Gwaine grinned and sat down next to him. Merlin moved slightly away in defiance "Did you miss us Merlin?" He cooed and tried to pull him into a hug.

"We're sorry," Leon insisted. "There's been a lot going on in Camelot. To be honest I forgot all about seeing you."

Merlin frowned further "At least you're honest," He granted him.

"Don't pout Merlin," Gwaine poked "It's not our fault the king's gone loopy."

"Gwaine!" Leon barked.

He didn't heed the warning and explained to Merlin how Uther still hasn't come out of his room. It's been too long now and Arthur's had to take over regency.

"He's finding it difficult," Lancelot confessed sitting at the bank "He won't admit it to us but he is. It's the only reason I can think of why he's asked his Uncle to come to Camelot."

"Uncle?"

"Agravaine," Leon offered.

"He's kind of shifty," Gwaine muttered in his ear. "Doesn't approve of Arthur's radical ideas."

Merlin hummed in contemplation as he looked properly at the knights. They all looked haggard. Leon had circles under his eyes while the other two seemed to have lost some of their smile. Knighthood seemed to weigh them down more than they thought.

Noticing their regal attire he wondered "Did I pull you from something important?"

They all looked down at themselves as realisation dawned upon their faces "Oops," Gwaine removed his arm.

"We were in a council meeting," Lancelot spoke aghast.

"Arthur's going to kill us," Leon agreed and strode away with a thrown goodbye over his shoulder.

Merlin looked to where Gwaine and Lancelot were having an inner struggle with themselves. Sighing he released them "You can go."

Gwaine hugged him goodbye and sprinted to catch up with Leon. Lancelot on the other hand stayed where he was. Sidling a bit closer he dipped the tip of his boot in the water.

"Gwen's on the council," He told Merlin. "She's good," He complimented but Merlin knew what he was really saying. Gwen on the council meant that she was getting closer to Arthur.

"That's..." He didn't really know what to say.

Lance curled in on himself "I thought that with you in Camelot..." He had thought that too. "I guess now you're gone there's no reason for them to not be together."

"I'm not really gone though am I?" Merlin was here in Camelot just not able to do much more than explore the watery tunnels.

Lancelot sighed "You know it was different Merlin."

They sat in silence for a while "I should have ate him," Merlin contemplated "If I had we'd both be happy now," Lancelot laughed "You'd be with Gwen and I wouldn't know what the hell love is."

"If only," Lancelot agreed. "I think they'll be happy together."

"I don't," Lancelot looked slightly startled so Merlin explained "This thing between them. I've seen it on men's faces when they come to the lake. They see one of the girls and thinks he's the luckiest guy in the world but it's only on the surface. Everything he's feeling is just what we're meant to enact, there's nothing deep in it. That's why I think they won't be happy."

"You think Gwen's trying to eat him?" Lancelot asked sceptically.

"No," Merlin rolled his eyes "Well maybe. But when I was at Camelot we both saw what's grown between them. It isn't love like what they have with us and they know it but they believe they'll be happy together because the prospect of being with one of us is too hard. We're the one thing they know will make them happy but, I mean, Arthur can't become a merman and even if he could he couldn't leave Camelot. And Gwen... why is Gwen not with you?"

Lancelot blushed "I haven't really told her how I feel."

Merlin may have glared a little at him "Alright," He got back to his analysis "So as I was saying being with us is too hard so they see the future the both of them can have together and it's appealing. More than appealing, it's like looking at a mermaid, beautiful and something you want to keep."

"She'd make a great Queen," Lancelot admitted sullenly.

"I hope so." He dipped his tail in the water a few times "You'd best get back to the meeting. Tell Arthur to come to the lake won't you?" He begged.

Lancelot nodded and clapped him on the shoulder "Are you sure you can't grow legs again?"

"Even if I could would you be willing to feed me?" He countered and slid into the water. Lancelot waved goodbye as Merlin went back to the lake.

Arthur came the next day with Gwen in tow. Merlin considered ignoring Arthur until he sent her away but then he could run the risk of them both leaving. Popping his head up to show them he was there Arthur went to fetch the boat.

He raised himself up on the side and greeted them both. Arthur smiled kindly back at him "Thank you for taking my knights yesterday."

"You're welcome," Merlin smirked back.

Gwen put her hand on Arthur's arm "Don't bring it up Arthur. Honestly he ranted at them for hours last night. It wasn't their fault that they heard you," Arthur looked uncomfortable the longer her hand stayed on him.

"Alright Gwen," He conceded. Turning to Merlin he asked "So why did you want to see me? Is there something wrong?"

Merlin frowned "Wrong? There has to be something wrong for you to visit?"

"I just assumed-"

"Well there isn't," How had things changed so much in such a short space of time.

Gwen tried to act as mediator again "You're looking well," She tried. As if changing the subject would dissolve the sudden tension that had overcame them.

"Been eating," Merlin bit out.

"Anyone I know?" Merlin couldn't tell if that was a joke or not.

"No," He insisted. "Look, if you're here to just insult me then I'm leaving," He turned to go.

"You're leaving? You're the one who wanted to see me," Arthur called.

"Well of course I did, I thought we were friends. Or were you just pretending in Camelot to keep me happy. Stop me from going for you as soon as I got my fins back. How'd that go for you?" He looked pointedly at Arthur's scar on his neck. Scabbed up it showed puncture wounds that tore whitely across his throat.

"Merlin," Arthur called again as he dove under the water. Hitting their boat pointedly he heard Gwen shriek as it rocked.

He sank lower in the water as he heard Gwen remark "That could have went better."

"It's not my fault he's in a mood," Arthur defended.

She sighed "Even if he was in a mood, you weren't exactly helping. What was all that baiting Arthur? We came here to try and sort things out."

There was silence "Just. Not right now Gwen," Then they were rowing off.

Arthur didn't come back to the lake but the knights did. Merlin got weekly visits from each of them in turn. Gwaine was the one he saw the most of, second to Lancelot. They would come together sometimes and tell him about their woes in Camelot. They knew to keep all mention of Arthur to a minimum when Merlin refused to talk to them for two weeks after the last time they had spoke of him.

Percival was often at the lake and challenged Merlin and his kind to different feats of strength or watched them show off for him in the water. The quiet knight often brought one of the castle's harps with him in a cart he towed and had Merlin teach him to play it. Merlin guessed there was a lady involved but didn't remark upon it.

Elyan was by sometimes and never alone. Leon would usually accompany him but he could also be seen with Gwaine or Percival. It seemed he was the one knight that hadn't gotten over the fact Merlin could eat him. It didn't help matters when he walked in on Merlin drowning a colt.

The most surprising time he saw them all was when they walked with torches to the lake. Gwaine and Lancelot were watching their backs as they called for Merlin.

"What's wrong?" He knew from the looks on their faces that it couldn't be good.

"Someone's let loose the spirits of the dead," Lancelot explained "We found out that fire keeps them at bay," He held up his torch.

"It's awful Merlin. And you know there's only one person behind it," Gwaine chimed in. He looked battered with his hair flying everywhere.

"Morgana. But, she'd have to sacrifice someone willingly to open the portal," He remembered this from when his mother had told him the stories of the necromancers, one thing Merlin wasn't allowed to do with his powers she'd warned. "I doubt anyone would kill themselves for her."

"You'd be surprised," Gwaine sighed sitting heavily on the bank "It seems there are those who have gathered arms with her."

"What are you going to do?" They didn't look ready to defend another invasion so soon.

"First we're going to get rid of the ghosts. You said a sacrifice? Do you know how this thing works?" Lancelot asked. Merlin explained the use of blood magic and the rift between life and death. "So a sacrifice will be needed to close it?" He nodded.

They walked away not long after with need to see the king about their news. Another quest was sure to be called and Merlin couldn't help feel a pang of loneliness. They would all be gone for a while, no visits to him.

And they didn't. Merlin heard the whispered ghosts at night and also heard when they stopped. Wondering vaguely who had sacrificed himself he set about his lazing in the sun.

Great gusts of wind blew him dry in seconds. He scrambled into the lake as the dragon sat himself down on the bank "Greetings young Warlock."

"Greetings," Merlin chimed confused about why the dragon was there.

"I thought it time we saw each other again," He explained "And ask about how your destiny is going."

"My destiny?" He rolled his eyes "You never really explained all that to me you know."

The dragon grinned "Sure you've guessed it by now?" Merlin rolled his eyes again but nodded. "And yet you still hide away in your lake."

Merlin frowned "It's not like I can swim into the council and tell them we need to start negotiating new magic laws."

The dragon shook his head "No, but you could always walk in." Merlin looked pointedly at his tail. "Ah yes," the dragon took notice of it "But that is easily fixed. Why I've taught you the spell myself."

"You have?"

Sighing mournfully he recalled "That day on the bank where I told you the spell, should you need it, that would help you if you were in trouble. It was meant to give you legs to escape. After all, if you can't swim out of a situation it's better to be able to walk."

"But-" All this time the dragon knew about giving him legs "How do I turn back. I can't remember the spell the lady told me."

Kilgarragh smiled as only a dragon could and spent the rest of the afternoon teaching Merlin a new spell to turn him back into a merman. "Use it wisely," He warned as usual and took off after a doze in the sun.

Exhilarated, Merlin thought about all the things he could do now he had the ability to swap between land and water. He could go and see the knights in Camelot without waiting for them to come to him. He could go and see Arthur! But then, Arthur hadn't exactly come to see him.

It took another month before Merlin used the spell on himself. He said to himself that he was only going to Camelot to get his spellbook. He couldn't actually believe that he had wasted all that time in Camelot and not retrieved it. Then again he was quite distracted with his new appendages. Not to mention his hunger.

But this time he was going to be better prepared. He hunted before he left for starters and spent a few hours every day stealing onto the riverbank and practising with his legs. Once satisfied that he made a passable human Merlin swam up the currents and into the citadel.


	5. Chapter 5

He stopped at the small chamber he had last seen Gwaine and Lancelot. Still no one had came to clean up the mess he had left and Merlin wondered whether they ever would. Perhaps they were leaving it as a cautionary tale to anyone thinking about invading.

Changing into his legs Merlin walked the corridor to the bend ahead. Excitement coursed through him when he realised he had never walked this way before. In fact there were lots of places he hadn't explored last he was here. Near skipping up the steps (trying. Far too advanced for him) he wove around another bend and another until he could hear voices.

The next level up had a breeze, so Merlin guessed they were near the courtyard. If Camelot was anything like he remembered last he was here then the knights would most likely be there. If they saw him wandering around Camelot they might tell Arthur.

He searched for another way up. Spent hours exhausting his legs before concluding that those steps were the only way up to the rest of the castle. Resting for a while he was assaulted with another problem as for why he couldn't just wander around the courtyard. He had no clothes. Why humans needed them Merlin knew but that didn't mean he couldn't complain about them. Especially since they were inconveniencing his plan.

Eventually he decided to wait until dark. As he remembered the whole kingdom went to sleep when the moon came out. Arthur used to insist on it. The first night Merlin was in Camelot he had wanted to watch the stars. He had never been as high up as he was when he was in Arthur's room. However the man had other ideas. Proclaiming that Merlin would be tired if he stayed up too late and also that Camelot had a curfew. A time when everyone needed to be back in their homes, for why Arthur wouldn't elaborate.

Even as nightfall had been an issue back then as the moon rose Merlin found himself thanking odd human traditions. There was no one there as he peered into the hallway. Moving carefully, Merlin tried to get his bearings. He had been right assuming that he was near the courtyard. The long marble pillars were just metres away from the steps he had just emerged from. He spotted lights further towards the gates and steadily made his journey away from them. Keeping his ears alert for any sound of movement Merlin went to Gaius' first. If anything the physician would have some clothes for Merlin.

Naturally he was asleep when Merlin crept inside. Torn between letting him dream or waking the man Merlin decided to see how well he did on his own first before asking for help.

There were no clothes that he could comfortably wear. All Gaius had were robes that reached the floor and if Merlin kicked the blanket off every time he slept in a bed he knew he'd hate to have to wear one. Instead he turned to the books filling every available space in Gaius' home. Sending a thanks to Leon for teaching him to read he started with the top shelf on a small balcony Gaius had.

He spent most of his night looking through Gaius' books until he had to admit it wasn't there. Thinking back to who had found it in the first place why would Arthur give a magic book to Gaius. Sure it was the mans in the first place but Arthur wasn't to know that. Not to mention Gaius had already been tried on suspicions of sorcery before. Perhaps Arthur thought he was doing Gaius a favour by not giving the book to him. Either way it meant that Merlin was going to be in Camelot longer than he thought.

As dawn broke and Gaius stirred Merlin slipped out of the physician's quarters. Tired both physically and mentally Merlin needed a place to sleep for a while. The way to Arthur's rooms were fresh in his mind still. However Merlin knew at that moment that they were in use. Perhaps he could find Gwaine. The knight might have a disguise for him as well.

It took some time for Merlin to find his way back to the steps. When he did he peered over the courtyard for the lights near the gates. Sure enough they were still lit and as Merlin's luck was holding the knights on duty were changing guard. He spared a smile as he stuck to the dwindling shadows. He followed the knights as they turned and twisted through Camelot's castle. Finally stopping at selected doors on two separate floors they disappeared inside.

All it took now that he was in the right place was sniffing the air and sure enough Gwaine's scent was coming strongly from the second to last door on the first floor. Three swift knocks and a hope the man was in there before the door was pulled open and Merlin was face to face with his favourite knight.

"Merlin! How-? Did it happen again?" Merlin was pulled inside and the door bolted as Gwaine frantically looked around for a threat that wasn't there.

"Yes but I did it this time. I know a spell. It lets me change between legs and a tail," Merlin answered. He looked around at the rumpled bed and sparse belongings. Merlin never thought Gwaine would be the neat type yet it seemed everything had a place in his room. Spotting a chest at the end of Gwaine's bed he remembered a similar one in Arthur's room. "Don't suppose I could borrow some clothes? Merfolk don't really own any."

"You did this- sure why not," Gwaine huffed. He yanked open the chest Merlin had been eyeing and threw a pair of breeches and a tunic at him. "Any particular reason you're here? Not that I mind seeing you but usually in circumstances like this there's a reason for it." Merlin ignored the frequent glances to his legs. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before. Gwaine hadn't acted half this bad last time.

"I'm looking for something," Merlin told. As usual he hated the clothes the moment they were on. Maybe he could forgo them until after he had napped. "But right now I need some place to sleep."

"Well you're always welcome here," The knight grinned. "Although I'm sure Arthur would be more than happy to have you in his room again. Speaking of the princess, I take it you two still aren't talking."

Merlin shook his head. "He wasn't exactly pleasant last we met."

"When is he ever?" Gwaine quipped. He turned serious as he promised "I won't tell him you're here. Not if you don't want me to."

"I don't," Merlin agreed. "Besides, this thing I'm looking for isn't exactly something he would hand over to me."

"Sounds fun." Merlin grinned at the excitement on the knight's face. "How about you get some sleep and we go look for it after I'm done for the day."

"So long as you don't mind being potentially arrested for treason," Merlin warned. That didn't seem to put the knight off. According to Gwaine the more danger they were in the better the adventure.

He eventually left for training and gave Merlin free reign of his lodgings. The urge to pry was strong but the urge to sleep was stronger and eventually won out. As usual sleeping as a human was uncomfortable. Everything was hard and heavy as his body weighed him down to the bed. The blankets pulled and clung to him so tight that he woke up. After the third time of this happening he flung the offending material away. Only this made him cold. Having removed his clothes the first chance he got Merlin was now stuck in an endless loop of freezing his body off or succumbing to the suffocation of the blanket. All in all not a very relaxing sleep.

Gwaine came back near evening with Percival and Leon in tow. His excuse for bringing them was simply that he had promised not to tell Arthur not his fellow knights. Merlin merely rolled his eyes at the loop hole and dressed for their mission.

"You can't tell anyone," He started then stopped. "Where's Lancelot? I would have thought you'd tell him as well."

A haunting look overcame all three knights faces. It was then that Merlin remembered the ghosts leaving and the sacrifice that needed to be made. Lancelot. He had given his life to close the rift and all the while Merlin had the power to go along and help them. He could have come up with a different way to close it if it weren't for his stupid pride keeping him from Camelot.

"He acted selflessly so we all could live," Leon praised.

Merlin had probably missed his chance to say goodbye to him. No doubt his body was ashes or sealed under some tomb.

"He was one of the best knights this kingdom will ever have," Percival joined.

"He wouldn't want you to fret Merlin," Gwaine comforted. The knight pulled him into a brief hug. "If it wasn't for him we'd all still be battling ghosts. He knew what he was getting himself into when he became a knight." Their words of comfort did little to alleviate the pull in his chest.

He remembered feeling this way when his mother told him Balinor was his father. The only chance he would ever meet the man and he had spent it hiding in the reeds. But Balinor had been family. It was only right that Merlin would feel sad at his passing. Lancelot on the other hand was some human he had met. There were no familial ties. But there was friendship. Merlin had never really had friends. He hadn't thought losing one could be like this. If he had maybe he wouldn't have talked to Arthur all those years ago.

"Perhaps we should put this quest off for another time?" He heard Leon ask.

"He'll be alright," Gwaine said. "It's just the shock." Gwaine still hadn't let go of him completely. A hand was resting heavily on his shoulders. Grounding him as to what was happening and allowing him to push Lancelot to the side for now.

"It's a book of magic," Merlin told them. "I found it when I first came here but it was lost in the cave when I let the dragon go-"

"You let the dragon go?" Leon thundered.

Ah. Merlin had forgotten that only Arthur had heard his confession. "Maybe, but that's not important. See Arthur found the book along with my sword. The one he carries. I don't care much about the sword but the book... it's mine. I need it back."

"When you said it was dangerous..." Gwaine trailed. Yet there wasn't a hint of fear in his voice. It looked like Gwaine was on board. "You do know magic is illegal in Camelot, right?"

"So am I," Merlin pointed out. "The way I see it, wouldn't it be best to keep everything illegal together. I mean, what exactly is Arthur going to do with a spellbook?"

"I'm going to get arrested," He heard Leon lament.

Percival had no comments on the subject. Merlin's warnings meant nothing to him since he was the first to ask where they should start looking. Merlin told them about his search of Gaius' chamber the night before and between them they came up with possible places Arthur could have hidden the book. Leon suggested that Arthur might have destroyed it but Merlin didn't think he had. For one, the man was much too curious for his own good. Merlin would have staked his own life that he had it kept somewhere and looked at it sometimes. As Gwaine said; dangerous things were the most appealing. Then there was the other reason. Things were always too dangerous for Arthur to handle alone in Camelot. Having the magic book there was probably so he could have a feeling of security. If everything else failed then magic might be able to help. So no, Merlin didn't think the book had been destroyed.

That just left where it could be. Leon suggested the library which was as good a guess as any. Apparently there were places in it that Geoffrey himself didn't know about. Arthur could have easily hidden the book there. Percival suggested somewhere like the armoury. Arthur liked things to be familiar to him and the armoury was a place he spent most of his time. He could have easily found somewhere in there that could hide the book from sight. Gwaine was the only one on the same wavelength as Merlin and suggested Arthur's chambers.

"With the move and everything, he might have mislaid it. In any case we can create a good excuse for why we're there and say we're helping the servants set up," Gwaine finished.

"Moved? Why has he moved?" It seemed there was another piece of information they had kept from him. The king had died some weeks back. Morgana had put a poultice under his bed and after Gaius had sought out a sorcerer as a last resort it had only worsened the healing magic he attempted on the king. Uther died that very night and Arthur was crowned king the next afternoon.

"He isn't taking it very well," Percival said.

"I wouldn't with that bat nattering in my ear all the time," Gwaine scowled and was quickly shushed by Leon.

More used to court the knight knew when to hold his tongue on matters that upset him. "He's Arthur's uncle. If someone were to hear us speak of him like that there would be consequences and you know this Gwaine."

"Doesn't mean it's not true," Gwaine pointed out.  
"What Leon's trying to convey is, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all," Merlin said and grinned at Gwaine's exasperated eye roll.

"So which place do we try first?" Gwaine said changing the subject.

"I think we should try Arthur's room," Merlin suggested. "If what you say is true then this is as best chance as any to search both his old and new chambers for it. If nothing comes up then we'll try the library and the armoury."

"Or," Leon countered. "We split up. I'll go to Arthur's old chambers with one of you and the other two to Arthur's new ones. If we don't find anything then we'll try the armoury and the library tomorrow. This way we'll be saving time and get more ground covered."

All in agreement they split into two with Percival joining Merlin on his hunt in Arthur's new rooms. Leon had almost immediately taken Gwaine on the matter that he didn't want Gwaine running his mouth if Arthur caught them.

The kings chambers were almost twice the size of Arthur's old ones. A massive bathtub sat in the middle of one room. Built into the ground Merlin was actually tempted to stay and ask Arthur if he could have a go in it. But he wasn't there to see Arthur so Merlin quickly turned his attention to searching through the new king's things.

The bed was clear, as was the few chests that had been moved in. Percival had busied himself with checking the walls and bookcases for any secret passages or chambers where someone could hide something. Merlin didn't doubt that there was something secret hidden in these rooms.

Arthur's new desk was clear of his magic book. As was his wardrobe. Merlin even checked the bath over on the off chance that it had a secret compartment. Yet there was nothing to be found and eventually Merlin called it a day.

"It's probably in his old chambers," Merlin mumbled as they made their way back to the knight's quarters.

"If it is I'm sure Gwaine will find it," Percival soothed.

"I hope so." There was so many things he needed to learn from it. For too long he had left it in this place. It needed him just as much as he needed it.

They hid themselves in Gwaine's rooms. Merlin had cast off his clothes as soon as they entered and was glad Percival seemed immune to his nudity. The dark stretched further into the room until the moon shone brightly across the sky.

"Hows your harp playing coming along?" Merlin asked, if only to pass the time. And also because he was slightly interested in Percival's life.

"Well. I could use a few more lessons if you're willing to teach me." Merlin promised he would and told him what days it was safest to come to the lake. He even jokingly told Percival that he could probably take the harp on the boat. Mermaids loved music and although Percivial wasn't the best musician Merlin had ever heard, his looks more than made up for it. He remembered one of the girls giggling about his muscles last he had been down.

The night drew on until, finally, Merlin smelt Gwaine and Leon. They were hurrying up the stairs and near burst into the room.

"Arthur has your book," Gwaine said.

"Well I know that," Merlin snapped then grasped what Gwaine was telling him. "It's in his rooms?"

Leon nodded, "Yes and we nearly got caught."

"It's why we're back here empty handed," Gwaine finished holding his hands out as proof.

"Couldn't you have distracted Arthur?" Percival asked.

A dark look overcame Gwaine's face as Leon once again shook his head. "Agravaine. He demanded to know why we were there and cast us out when we told him we were waiting for Arthur. Apparently we need Arthur present to be allowed in his rooms."

Gwaine cursed Arthur's uncle again and this time wasn't shushed by Leon. It seemed in the short space of time it took to search Arthur's chambers the knight had taken a wholly different position about who they could slander out loud.

"We'll have to try again tomorrow Merlin," Percival soothed.

Merlin shrugged off the comforting hand. He didn't want to be in Camelot so long. Thinking quickly, a certain knight came to mind that might be able to help them.

Frowning at his absence from their group Merlin asked "Where's Elyan? Don't tell me he's dead too."

"No, he's alive," Gwaine said and some of his old cheeriness came back to him as he did.

Merlin caught the other two knights sharing a similar look on their faces. "We thought it best not to call him," Leon explained. "He's still not..."

"He thinks you're going to eat him," Percival finished.

"Right," Merlin nodded recalling the knights uncomfortable body language around Merlin.

"Especially since you didn't need a tail to take a bite out of Arthur," Gwiane chuckled.

"Your fault," Merlin blamed. He got his mind back on task. "You should probably get him. I think his assistance may be needed."

Leon fetched him from his rooms. Obviously the knight didn't tell Elyan why he was being called to Gwaine's rooms since as soon as he saw Merlin he tried to escape. It took Percival blocking his exit and Gwaine calming him through his laughter to get the knight to listen to them. Merlin helpfully joined in by telling Elyan he had already ate before he came to Camelot. A nice fisherman who decided to try their lake.

"How lovely," Elyan didn't sound pleased. "So what do you need me for then?"

"I need you to talk to Gwen," Merlin continued to spill his plan.

Elyan was more than happy to help when he realised the plan consisted of him getting away from Merlin. Truthfully Merlin was worried that the fact it was a magic book would have Elyan telling Merlin no. After all, if Gwen was discovered not only stealing from the new king of Camelot but possessing a magical artefact she could be facing the axe. It seemed in this case that Merlin's fangs were more than enough persuasion for Elyan to forget all of that and focus on getting the book.

Once gone, Merlin contented himself with listening to the knights complain. It had started off with little things like how late it was and how they were all going to be tired for training. Eventually it grew into more interesting tid bits about the castle. Such as Agravaine's try for new policies that went against some of Arthur's core beliefs. Or even the fact that a boy had been seen sniffing around Gaius. Rumour had it that he was a past assistant but with no real evidence it was all just speculation. The thing that Merlin hooked the most was the idea the knights thought they had a mole at court.

"Morgana seems to know information about us. Like the trade routes or even where we'll be on a specific day," Leon said. "I hate to think it about anyone but there has to be a reason why she knows this."

"Perhaps she's a seer," Merlin suggested. "Someone that can see the future. They're quite uncommon but with a lineage like Morgana's it's plausible."

"What do you mean?" Percival asked.

"Well Morgause was her sister. Even I knew she had pretty powerful magic. Something like that is probably passed down through generations. If Morgana got even half that power she could potentially seek out the future through scrying. Or she could be born with it. The dragon told me Uther used to dabble in magic. I'd hardly be surprised if his father or mother were sorcerers, royalty has an odd fascination with it after all," Merlin thought back to Arthur's fascination with him. Sure they weren't on speaking terms right now but when they were taking Camelot it was plain to see that it wasn't necessity that had Arthur allowing Merlin to live.

"Don't let anyone hear you speak like that," Leon warned.

"They won't if you don't tell anyone I'm here," Merlin countered.

"So you think Morgana can see what we're up to?" Gwaine seemed heavily invested in this explanation as Merlin nodded his agreement. "It would mean things like moving meetings and writing notes would be pointless. Either way she'd know."

"It's just a theory," Merlin pointed out. "For all I know there could actually be a mole in Camelot. Maybe you should let me come to one of your meetings. I'm sure I could scare the confession out of them."

The knights chuckled at the mental image that gave them. "You'd be bored stiff Merlin," Gwaine grinned. "I know I am."

"Well if you take anything from what I've said at least remember that it's not one of you who's the spy. If you wanted Arthur dead you would have sided with Morgause when she took Camelot." That did seem to put the knights at ease.

Elyan didn't return until daybreak. His arms were laden with Merlin's magic book while his face held a sombre expression. For a brief moment Merlin wondered whether Gwen had been caught but reasoned if she had then Elyan would be more likely shouting at Merlin rather than looking so miserable.

"Gwen wants to see you," he relayed.

"Is that all?" Merlin had thought it was something more dire. Then again, Elyan's sister had just requested to meet with a human eating monster. "Well tell her no. I just came for my book. So just hand it over and I'll be off."

Elyan kept the book close to his chest even as his eyes begged Merlin to just take it and run. "She was rather insistent."

"And I'm being rather insistent by saying no. Now hand over the book and we can both part as friends," He let a growl slip into his voice and had the book in his hands before the last word was out of his mouth. "Thank you." He turned to the other knights "Come to the lake. It's better hearing castle gossip than whose hair's in what style today."

"Not staying for breakfast then?" Gwaine said around a yawn.

Merlin made a face as the memory of human food came back to him. "No thank you."

"At least let me walk you home Merlin. I'm nothing if not a gentleman. Especially to those who've just shared my bed," Merlin laughed at the innuendo but left Gwaine and the others when their excitement gave way to lethargy at the coming day ahead.

With it being so early, Merlin had no trouble sneaking around the castle and slipping back into his tunnel. A problem came when he processed the water and the fragile pages of his spellbook. He doubted they could last a dousing and so journeyed back up and into the courtyard to try and find a way into Camelot's streams that didn't require a dive in the water.

He had to ask a guard to open the gate in the end. Surprised at seeing him but recognising him from his brief stay at Camelot they didn't question his request and let him go. One asked if he wanted their cloak for warmth but Merlin shook him off saying the walk would soon have his temperature up.

The townsfolk were still in their homes as he weaved through streets and markets until he got to a familiar stream. Keeping one hand held high he chanted the reversal spell and felt relief as his tail replaced his legs.

It was a hard journey back and Merlin often wished he had kept his legs when he picked stones out of his scales. Nevertheless he missed his tail and it was quicker to swim back to the lake than walk.

Upon his return it seemed he wasn't the only one interested in his spellbook. His mother would often join him on the surface to page through the old bindings. She would ask here and there whether he could do a spell she pointed at and with practice Merlin could. He supposed it was like being with Balinor again for her. No doubt a man as powerful as Merlin's father would spend days indulging his mother in whatever she wished. He would probably conjure a hundred water horses for her to poke and prod at and it was nice that, even though he wasn't there, that his mother would tell him some of the things Balinor could do. When she did, Merlin made it his sworn duty to find it in his spellbook and watch that fascinated expression cross his mother's face. It made her seem younger than her years and happy in a way he hadn't seen before.

The mermaids also had an interest in his magic. With his spellbook on hand he had become a sort of physician to his kind. Often they would come to him with ailments and request he help them. Once they realised he wasn't all that good they tended to themselves as they always had been but every now and then he would get a spell right and have a line of mermaids the next day asking for his help.

Once that had started happening he took to practising his magic in secret. His mother understood and would sometimes ward off any of the girls that tried following him to one of the adjoining lakes where he would speak the words of the old religion to his hearts content.

It was mere weeks after collecting his spellbook that Merlin got his first visitor on the lake. As the boat edged further along the silky waters he had thought for a brief moment it was one of the knights. The smell was roughly the same, a mixture of blood and sweat. Only this one was older and wearier. Placing it instantly he hissed off the girls that had almost reached the surface and pushed the boat back towards Camelot.

Once safely out of ambush waters he hauled himself up the side and greeted Gaius as best he could. The man didn't look so well. Worry lines had overcame his face and he seemed to have aged more in the short span of time Merlin had last seen him.

"I'm afraid I need your help Merlin. An old apprentice of mine came to see me a few weeks ago. I thought he was trying to make amends. It's been so long since our fight I had hoped he came to his senses," Gaius lamented.

"I'm guessing he hasn't," Merlin pieced together.

"I'm afraid not and what's worse is that Arthur has decided to pursue him on this dangerous quest," Gaius hurried on.

"Wait. I think you skipped over a part. Why is Arthur going after him?"

"He stole something from the vaults. It's some kind of key that leads to a supposed dragons egg. Ridiculous I know but he was adamant that it was real," Merlin tuned out the rest of Gaius' speech. A dragon's egg. That meant Kilgarragh wasn't alone.

"Gaius, which way did Arthur go? Where's the dragon's egg meant to be?" Gaius rattled off a list of directions and with one solid push Merlin had the boat floating towards the shallows.

Wasting no time and ignoring Gaius' calls Merlin swam in the direction Gaius gave. He wasn't surprised when some hours into his journey he felt a gust of wind move the water he was in.

Breaking the surface Merlin kept swimming. "I'm going after it. I promise I'll get it for you." He knew this was the only reason the dragon was here.

"Be careful young warlock. If it really is a dragon egg then it's most likely guarded. Don't think this will be an easy quest," The dragon flew ahead to remove a branch separating the stream.

"When's it ever an easy quest?" He felt hysterical laughter bubble in his stomach but kept it down. There was another dragon in the world and Merlin was going to find it.

"If you do find it, bring it to the woods three miles south of Camelot's borders. I know it to be a safe place." Merlin nodded and submerged as the dragon flew off.

Water was always a curious thing. It reached places that other things often couldn't. In this case while Arthur was napping a few yards away and a man was sauntering towards the front of the dragon's lair Merlin was already inside.

It was a long dive down and back up before he was inside the lair's chambers. The water thinned out in places where, long ago, people would have used it for religious purposes. In others it opened up into a sort of inside lake and at one point an old Roman bath that survived.

The water levels grew higher near the long walls so Merlin took this as a sign and swam upwards. It took some trial and error until he finally stopped. There, in the middle of the room was a dragon egg. He could feel it in his gut. His magic was bursting, begging to be set free and before Merlin was aware he was singing an old lullaby to the egg.

He didn't notice he had company until the man was standing near his pool of water. He looked well kept for someone that, Merlin presumed, had been walking for days whilst being hunted by Camelot's finest.

A dreamy look on his face that Merlin knew well he placed the man as the apprentice Gaius had been telling him about. Not wanting to waste time with changing into legs Merlin decided to use this situation to its utmost and ordered the man the collect the egg for him.

It seemed this was a wise choice. As soon as the man had retrieved the egg the ceiling started to crumble. Singing louder, Merlin called the man over as best he could.

Unfortunately the sounds of walls breaking managed to drown out Merlin's singing just as the man was about to hand over the egg. Dazed and confused the man kept two hands wrapped around his prize and started stumbling away from the pool Merlin was fidgeting in.

"Give me the egg!" He shouted over the carnage.

"Wha-?" Gaining his bearings the man realised he had what he came for and more so when a rock nearly missed him. Barely glancing at Merlin he called a "Fat chance," as he ran to the other end of the room.

The room was too unstable to follow and Merlin knew that if he didn't start swimming he would be trapped there forever. So, with reverence, he abandoned the egg with the man and hastily dived out of the dragon's lair.

Coming up outside he spared a hope that the man made it out safely and was rewarded moments later with him running towards Arthur's camp. Sighing with relief Merlin tailed him as best he could.

It wasn't easy. The man was a skilled trickster. He managed to evade Arthur and his knights a second time and was soon setting up camp far away from them. Revelling in his prize it seemed a shame that he was going to have his time with the egg cut short.

The man had made camp near one of the lakes leading through the forest. Smart for practical purposes, but not when he had a bloodthirsty creature tracking him. Not wanting to prolong the man's influence on Merlin's egg he started up the tune that was hastily cut short in the temple. Like all feeble humans the man had no choice but to approach and was soon nothing more than a bloody carcass stuck between two rocks.

Hoisting himself out of the water, Merlin shuffled as best he could to get his egg before forgetting all this nasty business and starting towards the meeting place the dragon had instructed.

Kilgarragh was waiting rather impatiently when he arrived. Wings fluttering and smoke steaming in odd puffs out his nostrils he near snatched the egg out of Merlin's arms to make sure it was alright.

"Thankfully dragon eggs last for years and aren't as fragile as they look," Kilgarragh remarked. He placed the egg near the river and gave an expectant look at Merlin.

"What? I thought you said it was alright," He panicked.

"It is," The dragon didn't elaborate further. Growing uncomfortable Merlin sank slightly in the water and made motions to leave. "Aren't you going to hatch it?"

"I didn't know I had to," Merlin swore the dragon rolled his eyes at him.

"Only a dragonlord can call forth a new dragon. Since you're the last one there is..." This time Merlin rolled his eyes. Really, the dragon should have said so in the first place.

"So how do I do it?" Name it was the dragon's reply. Merlin didn't even need to think about it before he was calling "Aithusa," and a small white dragon was poking its way out of the egg.

Aithusa loved visiting Merlin in his lake. Kilgarragh would bring her squirming in his talons on the excuse that she was already half way over before he caught her. Really Merlin knew that the dragon liked spending time at the lake as well and merely nodded along with excuses he gave.

Only months old and she was bringing foxes to share with him at his lake. Obviously he couldn't eat them since they were already dead but it was still something to be proud of considering how small she was.

"When do they learn to fly?" Merlin asked eagerly one day.

"Usually around the first year mark. Her wings should be fully formed and able to support her by that point," Kilgarragh explained as he, once again, pulled the little dragon from the floating log she had gotten stuck on.

"A year... so when does she learn to breathe fire?"

Kilgarragh remained silent for a while as he thought about the question. "It's different for all dragons. Some never do. It's all just a matter of time. I never learnt until I was fifty years old."

"You're really old," Merlin grinned.

"So will you be one day," The dragon reprimanded. Merlin could tell there was no real malice there. "How long do your species last for?"

"Humans or merpeople. Or hybrids?" He added as an afterthought.

"Merpeople. I heard your mother was over two hundred when she met your father," Merlin nodded.

"Usually we only die when we've been killed. As for old age... I don't know. I met a mermaid once that was over eight hundred. Apparently she had spent most of her life overseas where there aren't many people. She said while she liked the meat the risk was too much sometimes." She was soon back to her waters after only a brief stay in their lake. Her purpose there was never clear to Merlin but then, he'd only been a child when he met her.

"Time means little to those who live long doesn't it," Merlin wasn't sure but he thought he detected a hint of regret in the dragon's words.

"I suppose."

"I've seen civilisations rise and fall. Kingdoms come and go. After a while a day seems like only a second." Merlin hastily caught Aisthusa as she tried jumping in the lake again. Not knowing how to swim, it was rather dangerous for her to try just yet. "It's nice that the days are appearing longer again. Aithusa surely makes it exciting."

"I'm sure," Merlin had only looked after her alone for one afternoon so far and lost her five times.

"Another dragon to spend my days with. I wonder when the days will start shortening for you Merlin. Tomorrow, when Arthur goes..."

"I knew you were going somewhere with this," Merlin muttered. Trust the dragon to know about Merlin's fight with Arthur as well.

"He doesn't have long young warlock. Not compared to you and I," He'd turned reprimanding again. "And with a destiny as large as his weighing heavily on his shoulders he will need someone to help him along," A pointed glance was sent Merlin's way.

Narrowing his eyes Merlin accused "You know, you still haven't told me what this destiny is."

"I shouldn't have to." A short command to Aithusa and the dragon was flying off without another word.

Cryptic as usual and leaving Merlin more confused than ever he decided to ignore the dragon's advice. Within the next coming days he indulged in some of the games his peers were enjoying and even allowed some of them to plait what little hair he had. The result was it sticking out of his head like feathers and taking ages afterwards to untangle. He was pretty sure he had missed a few the next time the boat sailed across their lake.

Not recognising the scent above Merlin let the others take him. It soon turned out to be a mistake when he saw the red tunic float down followed by a drab of chainmail. For a moment Merlin feared he had let Arthur be murdered. However, as he caught what the girls were tearing apart he breathed a sigh of relief. A knight of Camelot he may be but not one Merlin recognised.

Still, Merlin knew there would be trouble and waited expectantly for the hooves that thundered on the lake shore two weeks later. Sir Leon and Elyan had been tasked with the duty of appealing to the mermaids. Merlin wondered why these two specifically when Percival and Gwaine had better standing with his people than Elyan. It soon became apparent why when Gwen rode through followed by more knights moments later.

"People of the lake," She called. "We ask an audience with you."

Naturally everyone looked to him. "Send my mother. I'm not going up there."

His mother was called. With a heated glance saved for him she rose to the surface followed by three girls in case she should have need of them.

The knights knew better than to show weapons with the merpeople by now. As with Uther should they show any hostility they would be ignored. Gwen was far too clever to be like Uther and far too stupid to know she should stay out of the waters.

Her skirts hitched high, she tip toed into the shallows to better converse with his mother. For a brief moment Merlin hoped one of the girls would drown her. Then thought better of it. It wasn't her fault Arthur was stupid. But she sure wasn't helping things when she sidled up to him.

"What business do you have with us?" His mother asked.

"A knight has went missing. We were wondering whether you had seen or heard from him." Merlin wasn't sure but he could have sworn Gwen didn't own clothes as expensive as that when he last saw her. Embroided silk if he wasn't mistaken.

"We have. I'm afraid you're too late if you wish to see him," A ring of hostility rose up from Gwen's party. His mother not understanding their reaction continued to deliver their usual warning with only slight condescending. "If you don't wish to be eaten you shouldn't cross our lake. I would have thought you knew that by now."

"We were under the impression that an alliance had been struck. That man thought he had protection against you," This was the first Merlin had heard of it.

"You thought wrong," Were his mother's parting words.

The knights spent hours on the shore talking amongst themselves. After an immediate assault wasn't coming Merlin watched his people continue on with their day to day things. Only he remained watching them come nightfall. They were arguing fervently, their voices rising and falling as a new topic was brought up. Merlin wondered why they didn't do this in the castle.

Finally, come morning, they packed and went back to Camelot. Unfortunately that wasn't the last party to come about the knight. Merely three days and a much bigger pack had broached the shore. At the front was Arthur accompanied by his shining knights and a man Merlin didn't know whispering in his ear.

He seemed shifty and as Merlin got closer he reviled at the scent of Morgana lingering on his skin. Did Arthur know this man had seen Morgana. Perhaps he was a spy of some sort.

Either way even he couldn't stop Arthur from bellowing "Merlin!" across the lake.

His mother was the one to confront him this time. "I don't think he's going to leave without seeing you."

"Well he can get comfortable," Merlin snapped back.

It was the wrong thing to do as his mother dragged him up and onto the shallows before leaving him with a stern "Don't even think about coming home before they're gone!"

Shuffling back in case of a quick exit Merlin waited to see what Arthur wanted. He didn't have to wait long before the blonde, casting off his aghast bodyguards, strutted and sank down until he was eye level with him.

"What's this about you killing one of my knights?"

"I didn't. The girls on the other hand..." He trailed.

"I thought we had an agreement," Arthur gritted out.

"We never had an agreement," Merlin countered. "I don't remember telling you, ever, that we had an agreement."

"Then why do Gwaine and Percival not get eaten when they come down here?" Arthur demanded. "Why only this knight, when the countless before him have travelled without any problems?"

"I like Gwaine," Merlin shrugged. "And the girls like Percival. He's rather good on the harp." Arthur's glare didn't lessen. "Look, I'm sorry if you thought everyone from Camelot would be safe from us but that's not how it works. If it did we wouldn't eat! The only reason some of your knights are safe is because they helped me."

"I thought merpeople didn't believe in debts," Arthur accused and Merlin wondered when Gwaine told Arthur about that.

"We don't. But we do believe in friendship. If you want your knights to be able to cross our lake freely then I guess you better come down here with a plan. Assuming something and hoping your right isn't working for you," Merlin shuffled slightly more into the deep. He wanted this conversation done. "Now is there anything else?"

Arthur's face softened slightly before steeling again with a solid "No," coming from his mouth.

Not liking Arthur to have the last word Merlin couldn't help but let some of his jealousy creep out. "Next time you fancy negotiating I suggest coming yourself. The only reason your latest paramour hasn't been eaten herself is because you're there with her. It took all I had not to creep up on her."

"Stay away from Gwen," Arthur growled while Elyan called another threat entirely.

"Gladly. Though I suppose the only reason she was here is because you're scared I'm gonna rip your throat out again," he had the pleasure of watching Arthur reel back as he snapped playfully at him.

"I'm not scared!" Arthur shouted and looked hastily around at his party like he hadn't just lost all of his dignity. "And at least Gwen doesn't envision eating me to get it up."

Annoyed beyond belief and with the soldiers as tense as they were, all it took was a hiss from Merlin before they were firing arrows and drawing swords to protect their king. By that time Merlin was safe with his mother and cursing the day he ever met Arthur.

Naturally it was Gwaine who tried to play peacemaker. Merlin had been sunbathing when the boat bumped into his side. Growling to himself he stopped the boat and hitched himself on the side to listen to Gwaine, at least try, and make things better.

"He's under a lot of pressure," Was his opener.

"That doesn't mean he has to act like a prat," Merlin pointed out.

"You did just eat one of his knights. Not to mention you threatened Gwen," Gwaine countered.

"He shouldn't have sent her in the first place," Merlin muttered.

"I know," Gwaine admitted. "I actually told him so. But Gwen was rather persistent. She thinks that she should start taking an active role now she has a seat on the council. Elyan's been trying to persuade her that there's an active role and then there's meddling in issues that should be left to Arthur. And when it comes to you, you're definitely Arthur's problem."

"Thanks," Merlin said over Gwaine's chuckles. "I just don't understand how he thought everyone had immunity. I never told him that and I certainly can't speak for everyone in the lake. We have no leader, just people who co-exist together. I don't even like half the people here."

"Agravaine," Gwaine said like that explained everything.

"Arthur's uncle?" Gwaine nodded.

"You actually saw him. He's the black haired man that was next to Elyan," Merlin remembered him.

"Is he some sort of spy?" Gwaine hesitantly shook his head as he asked why Merlin would think that. "He smells like Morgana. I don't mean similar either. I mean it smells like he's been around her, and recently. I thought Arthur was using some men to spy on her."

"No," Gwaine muttered before snapping "Are you sure?" Merlin nodded. "This could be bad."

"What's this man actually been doing in Camelot. You said Arthur was under pressure?" he didn't want the knight to leave so soon.

"Agravaine has been pushing for reforms like I told you. He's also been pressuring Arthur to let some of the newer knights, mainly me and the low born, go. Then there's Gwen..." Gwaine looked like he wouldn't continue. "Arthur wants to marry her. He thinks it'll be best for the kingdom to have a Queen who actually knows what's best for the people living in it. At least that's my argument as for why he's going through with it. Agravaine, of course, is against the whole thing. He's been looking for ways to subtly keep Gwen off the throne."

"Sounds awful," and Merlin actually somewhat meant that.

"I know. How I wouldn't mind spending my days relaxing in a lake drowning people," Merlin grinned at the poor joke. "Don't take what he said to heart Merlin."

"He meant it," Merlin didn't have to say it hurt his feelings. That was apparent in the sullen tone he was sporting.

"He didn't. It's just that you two haven't really had it out yet. Arthur's not mad at you anymore. I don't think he was ever mad at you. It's just hard for him, give him time," Gwaine tried.

"Time enough for him to marry Gwen?" Merlin couldn't help.

Gwaine grinned. "You know it's incredible that the pair of you spend so much time mooning over the over and do nothing about it."

"Yes well, the one time I did he's now holding it over my head," Merlin pointed out and got a glare in response. Changing the subject Merlin went onto the safer topic on who Gwaine was trying to impress this week.


	6. Chapter 6

With Agravaine now a problem at Camelot Merlin didn't expect that many visits down at the lake. He was right as well. Except for the odd knight or two that skirted around the lake on important business there wasn't any sign of his new friends.

Once he saw a flurry of red in the trees as he was sunbathing. He feared for a moment they had came to purge the lake. Minutes passed and the red carried on through the trees to some other part of Camelot's forest.

He had taken to hanging around his mother again for lack of things to do. Helping with the nursery was fun for all of two minutes before the little monsters started whining and snapping at him. His mother had even sent him out when he tried to retaliate against one of them. He was banned from helping her on the fifth day of his attempts to help.

Lounging at the edge of the lake had grown tiresome as well. Not that he didn't enjoy it. More like he could only stay on so long before he had to go back in the water. With winter coming, the shore had started freezing over and it wouldn't be long before the water he lived in froze as well.

As the first snow fell everyone in the lake was in agreement that they needed to sate their fill. With Merlin banned from his hunting games after last year it would be difficult to break the ice to eat so for the remaining days before that happened they spent most of it in the shallows. Merlin watched as bears sprung from their hibernation and bucks of all shapes and sizes came one by one. At some point they had gotten lucky and a stray farmer had heard their singing. A fight developed between who was to eat him before one of the more vicious women living among them took him for herself.

Finally they were trapped. With only a slight pocket of air above them the rest of the lake sealed them in like a tomb. It was shallow at first but as the snow fell continuously onto the ice it grew denser to the point where the mermaids didn't think it worth the trouble to break.

Winter wouldn't be so bad for them had it not been for the lack of food. Sure, they had purged a great deal before the ice froze but the winter lasted more than a few weeks. Even those that had gorged themselves were feeling the effects of hunger come Yule. Merlin's mother had even relented in her warnings and allowed him to hunt through the ice at his own peril. It would have been ideal for everyone were Merlin able to actually do so.

Unfortunately this winter something had happened. Not one person, knight or farmer had came onto their lake. Merlin had a suspicion that Arthur was involved in this and as his stomach growled in hunger he started cursing the blonde king. So this was Merlin's punishment for not rescuing one of his knights. Merlin was almost impressed at the notion that Arthur was doing this, not many people could discipline his kind. Too bad Merlin wasn't in the mood to be impressed with Arthur.

Lethargy set in and made most people he came across even lazier than he remembered. The girls barely lifted a finger when he swam past him. Only one of them bothered to get up, and that was just to check that he didn't have any food on him.

Just when Merlin thought he was actually going to die of starvation he heard voices. Making sure it wasn't someone under the lake he swam up as far as he could to the surface. Five men were spitting onto the lakes surface while hurling insults to Merlin's kind. One of them stood a ways back as the others tried to stand up straight on the ice. Merlin felt a smirk grace his face when he realised the direction the men had came from. They weren't from Camelot. Essetir.

"Maybe we should turn back," The one on the shore said.

"Nonsense," One of the men chortled. "These little beasties won't hurt us. Rumour has it Camelot's banned the whole kingdom from coming here. Hope they're not all dead."

"Probably are," Another sneered.

"Probably doesn't mean they are," Merlin probably would have liked the one on the shore once upon a time. But as he was trying to make Merlin's meal leave he had other feelings for him. "What do you want with them anyway?"

'Want with them?' Merlin tried getting a better look at the men. Sure enough they all held weapons.

"Kanen wants one as a pet. Keep the lot of you in line. Here, grab him," He motioned to the others and they acted quickly in getting the skittish man onto the ice. "You can help pick her out," He near threw the man down. Blood spilled from the wound in his hand where he fell and Merlin could practically feel the eyes on his back. They were all waiting for him to break the ice.

"Go back," Merlin ordered. He had an idea. "We're not eating them yet."

He heard whines and a small one even bit him but they trusted his judgement. Merlin kept to the dark water so his tail couldn't be seen above. Listening, he tracked the men as they poked, prodded and skidded across the ice.

Making sure they were away from the shore he backtracked and broke the ice enough to slip out. Using magic to change his tail he stopped a moment as the full force of winter hit him. It was no wonder humans had fires in their houses. In summer he had been cold, winter was near unbearable. Still, he had a job to do and made his way into the bushes.

The men weren't on the ice long. With no mermaids showing themselves under the ice they stomped and taunted all the way back to shore. The man that had been against them going on the ice was actually a prisoner of some sort. His hands were bound as soon as he was on dry land and he was, more or less, shoved in front of the men as they walked back to their home. Merlin followed on behind them as best he could. The snow was worse than he thought on his feet and everything hurt after a few minutes of staggering.

It took a good four hours for Merlin to spot the smoke above the tree-line. The bushes opened out onto a wide expanse of white. Fields upon fields that would have been harvested before the snow arrived hid a small village in its centre.

Stumbling down, Merlin fell into the shadows behind the houses and searched for the man from the lake. The others he found near a circle of horses. They were telling a large man covered in furs about their unsuccessful hunt with promises to go back tomorrow and look again.

Despite his freezing bones Merlin couldn't help the grin etching onto his face. He was right then. The man was a prisoner, as was the whole village by the look of things.

Peering in windows and barns Merlin finally found the man bundling the small scraps of fabric he called clothes onto his form and trying to start a fire. Kindness was always a way into getting someone to trust him so Merlin searched for wood outside the man's house and dried them with his magic. Making sure no one else had seen him he knocked on the man's house.

A rather uncomfortable look overcame the man's face when he answered. Torn between helping Merlin and wondering why a naked man was at his door he finally asked "Can I help you?"

"I brought wood," Merlin shoved the proffered items into the man's arms and let himself in. He dried off what little wood was in his hearth before starting it with his magic and heard the pile in the man's hands drop as he did so.

"What are you-? You can't do that!" He hissed and tried to force Merlin out.

"I can," Merlin countered and sat himself near the warm fire. "And I can help you too. That's why I'm here."

"You're mad," The man said as he pulled at his hair.

"No, but I am hungry," Merlin said as his stomach growled for the hundredth time that winter.

"Well I don't have any food and even if I did there's not enough to share. So please leave," Merlin made himself more comfortable. As his limbs started to thaw he promised himself he wouldn't grow legs again until the winter was over.

"I don't want your food and you don't want me to leave. So sit down and listen to my proposition," Merlin ordered. The man looked like he was going to throw Merlin out. "Please. I promise if you want me to leave by the time I'm done I will," He promised.

The man sat hesitantly on the other side of the fire. Drawing himself in as much as he could for warmth and, not for the first time, Merlin wished he had fins again. "So what's this proposition then?"

"I want to help you free your village," The man scoffed. "I do. And I have the means to do so but not without your co-operation."

The man huffed "Why now? We've been terrorised for years, why now? If you say you have the means then you could have helped us at the beginning."

"I didn't know about it then," Merlin answered.

"So what's in it for you?" the man tried again. It seemed he wasn't satisfied that someone had finally come to help him. "No offence but you don't look like you could snap a twig never mind get rid of a raiding party."

"True," Merlin conceded. "But I don't need to look it in order to do so. After all, you know of some talents I possess," Merlin hinted towards the magic he had used to start the fire. "As for my motives. I already told you, I'm hungry."

At that the man's face twisted and softened. "Do they go to your village as well? I never really thought about others being involved with him."

"No, it's- look, I want to help. Just believe me when I tell you that," Merlin yearned.

"I do," He sighed. "So what do you want me to do?"

"I need you to get them down to the lake, the same place they took you today. All of them," A look of horror overcame the man's face.

"No. They'll kill me as soon as I get close," Merlin knew he wasn't referring to the raiding party.

"They won't," Merlin promised. "If you bring them the raiders then I promise you here that you will forever have immunity from us. You can cross as much as you like until you die of old age."

"Us?" He looked Merlin up and down. "You're one of them?"

Merlin nodded. "I'm rather unusual. My magic allows me to have legs every now and then but yes, I'm one of them."

"You said you were hungry..." The man pieced together.

"Starving more like it. With no one coming to the lake and the animals in hibernation there's nothing for us to eat. Which is why if you bring us these men, we'll be forever grateful," Merlin smiled, trying to make the idea as appealing as possible.

"I don't know how I'd get them there," the man said and Merlin was glad to hear it was a problem with the plan rather than him outright refusing to bring them.

"Tell them you caught a mermaid and want them to inspect her before bringing her here. I know one of the girls will gladly act the part. Or just make something up," Merlin insisted.

They spent the rest of the night planning how to get everyone down at the lake. The man, Will, was hesitant at first to let Merlin sleep the night in his house but as the cold outweighed his hunger at that moment Merlin promised he had nothing to fear.

Will lent Merlin some clothes to go back to the lake in. Making sure they were neatly folded for Will getting them he changed back into his tail and relayed the plan to the merfolk. Delighted at the banquet they were about to receive he had more than one volunteer to play the part of the captured mermaid. Finally sorting out who it was, Merlin tied her up and pushed her onto the snow as they smelled the raiding party approaching.

One of the lies they came up with last night had worked as not only the raiders were following Will to the lake but some of the villagers. Breaking a bit of the ice at the edge of the lake Merlin saw that the villagers were there was hostages. He heard one of them joke about a girl he was holding being the mermaid's first meal with them.

"I told you I caught her," Will crowed as he spotted the mermaid on the bank. Merlin saw him cringe as Kanen forced him forwards and over to his bounty.

"So you did. What a beauty she is as well," the man grinned and loomed over the captured mermaid. She played her part by acting weak and struggled in her bonds.

Merlin saw Will looking over the lake for him and waved pointedly from his hiding place. Diving down as soon as Will saw him he heard the second part of their plan go into place as Merlin positioned the merfolk.

"Not really," He heard Will scoff.

"What do you mean? Tell me men, have you ever seen a girl as beautiful as this? I think she'll do nicely," Kanen boasted.

"I guess. But there was another one that was even more beautiful than her. She got away before I could bind her so I guess if you're content with second best-"

"Second best! Men!" Merlin felt the vibrations as Kanen ordered the men onto the ice. "Use the villagers as bait. I want this girl."

Turning back to his own people Merlin warned "The raiders only. Leave the villagers." the all nodded.

As the men spread out so did the merfolk until a swarm circled underneath each of their feet. Merlin swam to where the girl, Will and Kanen were standing. Sparing one thought towards the ice breaking Merlin turned his attention towards Kanen. Freeing the girl from her bonds they both managed to drag him down to join the rest of his men in seconds.

Thankfully the promise of meat of any kind had the merfolk being hospitable. They paid attention to Merlin's warnings and left the villagers to fend for themselves if they fell into the lake. Merlin helped two up before going to Will left standing on the bank.

"Is that all of them?" He asked.

Will nodded with a grin stretching across his whole face. "I'd say so. I can't believe we're free. It only took a few minutes."

"You'll get used to it," Merlin said.

"If there's anything I can do..." Will offered.

"I don't do debts," Merlin waved off and set Will to tending to the villagers.

Despite what Merlin told him Will wouldn't leave their debt alone. He came to the lake with meats he couldn't spare and while Merlin was grateful he hated the idea that he was allowing Will to make it up to him.

"What do you usually do in winter? I can't imagine you being this hungry every year," Will asked.

"Usually we have people from Camelot come down but, as you know, Arthur as banned everyone. Hopefully the prospect of taunting us will override whatever stupid law is in place and we'll have someone to eat soon," Will made a face at Merlin's blasé attitude to eating people.

"At least he's keeping everyone safe. I can't imagine why there wasn't a law in place before," Will pondered. Merlin had an answer to that but it was more like a theory at the present moment.

"Why don't you ask him," Merlin proposed. "If you really want to make us even then you can go into Camelot and ask Arthur why he's being such a prat."

"You can't talk about him like that," Will admonished with a grin on his face. It seemed he wasn't the only one with an aversion to royalty. "And I doubt Arthur's there. I heard there's a war going on, the start of one anyway. He killed Caerleon a couple of weeks back. According to Kanen Queen Annis wants revenge."

"Well good for her," Merlin cheered. "It's time someone showed him what it means to be king."

"You sound like you know him," Will noted.

"I do. He's annoying," Merlin offered and they shared a laugh.

Around the start of the ice breaking Will stopped coming to the lake. Merlin hoped it wasn't trouble but had little want to find out what was keeping him away. Most likely it was the idea of the merfolk being free of the ice. Merlin was the only one able to pop up wherever he liked and despite the promise he had made Will, Merlin doubted he actually believed him.

It was still a good few months before the animals woke up meaning everyone was back to lazing at the bottom of the lake from hunger when Gwaine arrived.

Followed by six knights behind him with four of them carrying something between Merlin let his curiosity guide him to shore before Gwaine even tried calling him.

"What is that?" Merlin pointed.

"Would have thought you recognised it. It was your favourite thing back in Camelot," Merlin pulled himself up onto the frost covered ground to better see the gold plated bath tub the knights were carrying.

"And you have it because?" Merlin recoiled as soon as Gwaine stepped closer. There was something off about his scent. Not to mention the odd way he was looking at Merlin. As if he was just a tool.

"Arthur wants to see you and I know you won't grow legs. This seemed like a good solution," Gwaine grinned and before Merlin could flee there were guards surrounding him.

"You realise I can kill you all before you get me in there," Merlin pointed out.

"You won't," Gwaine promised. "Not when you hear about why Arthur wants to see you."

Merlin took a guess, "It wouldn't be that war he's having is it. I'm not going to join his army if that's what he's wanting. However, if you tell me where it is I'll gladly pick off the scraps."

"War? Oh that," Gwaine waved off. "It never happened. We worked a peace treaty before any blood could be shed. No, Arthur wants to see you so two can finally have it out." At some point in his speech Gwaine had come up behind Merlin. With a move Merlin had never expected out of the knight he was now standing his full weight on Merlin's fin. No amount of struggling could lift the boot and Merlin was just about to lunge when Camelot's finest took an arm each and dragged him over to the bathtub.

"I don't want to see him," Merlin hissed and used his strength the wrench himself away from the knights.

Something hit him on the head and Merlin blacked out. He wasn't unconscious for long. The tub was still swaying with each step the knights took through the forest as he opened his eyes. Merlin didn't really want to wake up. He didn't want to believe that it was Gwaine who had knocked him out. Gwaine who was dragging him into Camelot. Yet the knight was whistling a jaunty tune at the front of their parade and grinned when he spotted Merlin awake.

"No use running Merlin. There's no water for a few miles and even if you did sprout legs I'm sure I could still drag you to Camelot," Merlin stopped looking for a way of escape. It did no good, besides, there was another problem he needed to address.

"What's wrong with you?" Merlin asked. He had trouble placing the scent on Gwaine. Some of it was old and it was only when he remembered Agravaine that Merlin placed it. Morgana. Gwaine had seen her recently. But that didn't explain the other odour coming from him. It mixed with his usual smell, tainted it like they were still there.

"Nothing wrong Merlin. Just happy that you and Arthur are going to be one by the end of tonight," Merlin frowned at Gwaine's wording. Not quite understanding the joke until he sent a leer at him.

"You want me to eat him?" He asked scandalised. He saw the knights send each other smirks over his head as Gwaine waggled his eyebrows.

"Another kind of eating Merlin," This was met with laughs from the parade. Still not getting it he let the rocking motion of the water and his lethargy lull him into a contemplative silence.

By nightfall they had reached Camelot. It seemed whatever was going on was known throughout the castle. No doubt Gwaine had run his mouth the first chance he got about Merlin's visit. Servants grinned and giggled as they passed. Even the stoic knights Merlin remembered from his brief stay at the castle cast a smirk his way.

The giant bathtub he had spotted last time was full and Gwaine wasted no time in tipping Merlin into the lukewarm water. It made him sleepy and only a small slap from Gwaine stopped him from giving in. The scent was stronger this close up. Gwaine's eyes seemed different as the scent rose and fell. Almost like it was moving over his body.

"What's happened to you?" he muttered.

Gwaine grinned "Nothing." He moved off and came back with a cat, fetched from somewhere in the castle. "I know you're hungry so I got you this. It's no cow but we'll save that for tomorrow." The smell of offered flesh drowned out any inner turmoil Merlin had about Gwaine's change in behaviour. He made to take the cat off the knight only for Gwaine to drop it outside of Merlin's reach.

"No!" the little beast scampered back to where it came from.

"Oops," Gwaine didn't look sorry. "Well I suppose you'll just have to last until morning. Don't worry, Arthur will be here soon and I've told everyone to ignore what they hear. You'll probably be a bit enthusiastic if it's your first time so no one will think twice if they hear any screams."

"What?" Merlin's question fell on deaf ears as Gwaine scampered out of the room, not before he cut his hand and lathered the blood on the side of the tub.

The smell was pure Gwaine, nothing whatsoever tainting it. Human and tempting enough that he ran his tongue after the fading warm blood. His gums hurt and stomach ached with hunger as the blood cooled. Moaning to himself he settled as best he could in Arthur's bath and tried to sleep it out until morning.

Fate had other plans as Arthur followed by Gwen and Agravaine entered. While the whole castle seemed to know of his arrival it seemed Arthur didn't. The look of shock that came onto the blonde's face would have made Merlin smile if it weren't for the cruel joke Gwaine had just played on him.

"Merlin?" Like he couldn't see Merlin was indeed there.

Glaring, he pulled himself up and near spat "This is all your fault."

"What are you doing here?" Merlin hissed as he made to come nearer.

"Why? Surprised I'm still alive? Thankfully a nice country boy delivered a raiding party to us. If not, we'd all be dead. Too bad this is the only time you can enforce that law. Once the ice melts upstream we're coming to Camelot. We'll hide in rivers and wells until there's no one but you left in this kingdom," Merlin groaned as his stomach complained again. All this talk of murder wasn't helping.

Remembering he had company Arthur sent Gwen and Agravaine out. Weirdly his uncle went without a fight.

With the two of them alone Arthur didn't waste time fighting Merlin and cupped his jaw to inspect his face.

"You look awful," Arthur commented.

"No thanks to you," Merlin growled.

"My Uncle thought it best," Arthur muttered. "He wanted the people to have faith in their king, not think he was selling them to the merfolk so they could survive winter." Merlin yanked his face out of Arthur's grip as he felt the familiar stirrings of the hunt. As angry as he was with the king he didn't want to add regicide to the list of things his kind should be hunted for.

"You should get away," Merlin told him. "I'm going to hurt you otherwise."

Arthur only minimally retreated. Pulling up a chair near Merlin's bath he asked. "How did you get here? Leon said you didn't want to see me."

"How do you know I haven't changed my mind?" Arthur just sent a pointed look towards Merlin's tail. Rolling his eyes he informed that "Gwaine brought me. Something about eating you but not eating you. I don't really understand it. Everyone was looking at me funny when they brought me here."

"What did Gwaine say specifically as to why he brought you here?" Merlin wasn't sure whether he should divulge that it was on the pretence that Arthur wanted to see him that Merlin was supposedly dragged to Camelot.

"I think there's something wrong with him. He smells weird," Merlin told him. He turned his head away as Arthur's scent wafted over to him.

"And you're starving. Perhaps he meant to finish what Morgana started, you did say something about eating after all," Arthur chuckled. Merlin didn't find it funny. In fact this was exactly what it was looking like.

"He smells like Morgana," Merlin blurted out. "Have you seen her lately?"

Arthur shook his head. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's the same smell as on your uncle but there's something else as well. Something living on him..." Merlin just had an uncomfortable thought as he recalled the knights telling him about Morgana knowing about their plans last he was here. "He's not the spy. He wouldn't betray you like that. I think whenever he saw her it was by accident. Gwaine would never seek her out by himself."

Arthur didn't seem to be listening to him, having latched onto something else. "My uncle? He smells like Morgana?"

"That's not important," Merlin snapped, his patience growing thin. "I think Gwaine meant for me to eat you Arthur. I think he's being influenced. He's not himself and I am so hungry... this has probably been planned for ages."

Coming back to himself Arthur stood and made for the door. "I'll see if I can find a dog for you. You can eat dogs right?"

"I can eat anything right now," Merlin promised.

Arthur smirked as he tried the door. It seemed they had developed a sort of truce for the moment. The mood quickly dropped as the doors wouldn't budge. Arthur tried everything from looking for his key to trying to knock the door down. He even screamed at the top of his lungs for a guard but none came. It was then that some part of Merlin's mind recalled what Gwaine said about the guards ignoring them the entire night. He relayed as much to Arthur and had the man stomping around trying windows next.

"Bloody Gwaine! Should have known his vulgarity would lead to trouble for me," the windows were sealed shut with wax. Gwaine had been thorough. When all means of escape were sealed up tight Arthur sat back in his chair near Merlin's bath. "How long do you think you can last before trying to eat me?"

"So long as you stay away from me a day or two," he could tell Arthur knew he was lying. Already Merlin was trying to bring the spell for his legs to mind.

"The guards should let us out in the morning," Arthur said to himself. "So hang on until then."

"Again, you need to stay away. You're far too close," He was surprised to hear the growl at the end of his words. His self restraint was fading.

Arthur abandoned his chair and paced before settling behind the wall leading to his bed. They sat in silence for a while and Merlin really did try and sleep off his hunger. Arthur it seemed wasn't content to do the same.

"About what I said at the lake, it was wrong of me," As close to an apology as Merlin would ever get. Then the blonde ruined it. "Aren't you going to apologise now?"

"What for?"

"Threatening Guinevere for one. Then there's eating my knight and embarrassing me in front of my knights," Arthur ranted.

"All things you should include in your apology to me," He heard the start of an argument mounting and cut in. "You sent Gwen when you know I've barely spoken to her. That knight didn't have immunity from us, which you also knew, yet you put the blame on me when I didn't even eat him. As for embarrassing your knights, I'm not one of your citizens. In regards to who eats who, you should be begging for your life right now and be glad I've deigned to let you live this long."

They descended back into silence which was once again broken by Arthur.

"Why don't you like Guinevere?" Not the question he was hoping to answer tonight.

"I don't know her well enough to like her," Merlin said. "Not to mention you're all just food to me. Only a select few become more than that."

"Like me?" Merlin scowled at the smile he heard in Arthur's voice.

Choosing another topic entirely since Arthur wanted to chat Merlin decided on one that he vaguely remembered Gwaine telling him. "I heard you killed a king."

"Yes, and it's something I regret," Arthur shuffled about until Merlin could see a hint of his blue eyes looking at him. "This changing the subject wouldn't be because you don't want to admit you like me?"

"No," Merlin bit out.

"Or that you're jealous of Guinevere?" A hint of a smile was back on Arthur's face.

"I don't get jealous." And even if he did Gwen wasn't someone to be jealous of. All those new responsibilities she has alongside half the kingdom wanting her off the council because she's a peasant. Merlin had nothing to be jealous of.

"That's not what it sounds like," Arthur countered. "Come to think of it, you were rather moody when I brought her with me to see you. Could it be that you wanted me alone?"

"It's not funny," Merlin told him.

Arthur wasn't listening as he continued. "My Merlin, what would you have done to me?"

"Shut up," he heard himself whine.

Arthur turned serious as he said, "Merlin, I'm trying to help you. Getting your mind off... eating... may be the only thing that will keep me alive."

"I have some control," He argued.

"I know," Arthur agreed. "But last time I saw you like this you acted without thinking. You were so consumed with getting what you wanted that I was in big trouble when I realised what was going on." Merlin didn't even try and respond to that. Arthur, trying once again, changed the subject. "Don't suppose you could try breaking the doors down with your magic?"

"No. I don't trust myself not to subconsciously use it to get you closer to me. We're going to have to wait for the guards," Which was a sad thought.

"Right. So back to Guinevere, what is your opinion of her?" Now Merlin knew Arthur was trying to rile him up.

"I don't have one," Maybe Merlin could use a bit of magic, just to smash a window. Anything to stop Arthur from talking.

"Just like you don't get jealous," He could hear the disbelieving tone in Arthur's voice.

"Shut up," Merlin snapped again and tried to tune out Arthur again.

He didn't know how but they made it to dawn. Arthur had dozed off sometime in the night while Merlin spent it awake. It seemed no matter how hard he tried he couldn't tune out Arthur's scent. It was there, always, seeping into his nose and calling to him. But now the sun was up and it would only be a matter of time before the guards or servants would let Arthur out.

That was Merlin's argument anyway until Gwaine came strolling into the room.

"Arthur!" Merlin called and heard the blonde stir. He called again as Gwaine inspected Merlin's bath.

"I honestly expected more from you Merlin," he muttered as he drew his sword.

Turning away he stalked over to where Arthur had made his bed. Luckily the blonde was used to waking up suddenly and was ready to face Gwaine when the knight approached him.

"What's this all about Gwaine?" Arthur tried to reason. "You bring Merlin here and for what?"

Gwaine didn't seem to be listening as he lunged at Arthur. The blonde having reached for his sword engaged Gwaine in battle. Merlin knew both to be skilled swordsmen. He remembered from his days in the castle when Gwaine would sometimes carry him down to watch them train. Yet no matter how good Gwaine was Arthur had been doing this from birth. He used what he knew of Gwaine and what he learned from training sessions to have the knight knocked out in a matter of minutes. Quickly calling the guards he had Gwaine escorted to not to dungeon but to Gaius. Another shout for a servant had Merlin's needs served.

"You may want to ask him to leave," Merlin told as he eyed the pig being walked in.

"Don't make too much of a mess," Arthur warned. "I have to bathe in there."

Merlin made sure to make a huge mess. It was the least Arthur deserved for what he had done to him. Stomach satiated on the third pig Merlin used his magic to clean up the blood left over. He wanted to stay a bit longer to see what was wrong with Gwaine and with the looks Arthur was sending him it wasn't going to happen so long as there were pig guts in his bath.

The physician came up sooner than expected. He near fainted when he saw the king.

"When I heard Merlin was here... sire I counselled you about banning the people from the lake for a reason," Merlin was surprised when Gaius then came over to check on him.

"What's wrong with Gwaine?" Merlin insisted.

Deeming Merlin fit and strong he explained about the creature found in the back of the knight's neck. Some dark magic had been used to conjure it and the Fomorroh were known to be creatures used to strip away a person's will. In this case Gaius thought Morgana likely to be behind the attack on Gwaine which was backed up when Merlin, once again, said he remembered smelling her on him.

"It must have been during the ambush," Arthur concluded. He sent a quizzical look Merlin's way "Our mole has started to become troublesome. We'll have to start interviewing people, it can't be allowed to continue."

"Yes sire," Gaius left with a list of people needed to be rounded up.

"As for you," Arthur started and walked safely over to his tub. "I'll have Percival and some of the others take you back. You shouldn't have to endure my problems any longer."

"Once upon a time you didn't care whether I endured your problems. I don't understand what's changed," Merlin lamented."Why have you stopped visiting me?"

Arthur sighed and leaned heavily on his tub. "Being a king is harder than I ever imagined. It leaves me with little time Merlin."

"Liar," He knew if Arthur really wanted to see him he could find the time to do so. "Fine, keep your secrets."

It was just before the guards came in to take him down to the lake that Arthur confessed "I'm going to ask Guinevere to marry me."

Merlin really had nothing to say to that. He had seen Arthur in this position many times yet it was different again. This time Arthur was consciously asking for Gwen's hand and while the knights had warned Merlin this would happen and Merlin had even known himself it would. It was still hard to hear.

"I hope she'll make you happy," he settled on and slid into the water the knights carried in.

Percival tried cheering him up as they strolled through Camelot's halls. Hearing he was here Leon and Elyan skulked out from wherever they had been hiding to bid him farewell. As did Gwaine. Recovered from his stint with the Fomorroh and knock from Arthur's sword, or so Merlin thought until they passed him.

"Wait," He hissed and, knowing better than to argue, Percival did. "Gwaine's not cured. Tell Gaius it's come back, now!" Percival scampered off to do as he was told as Merlin directed the knights back and told them to set him down where he could keep an eye on the knight.

Gwaine was looking like his usual self. Cheery and calling jokes to anyone that passed but Merlin saw how his eyes calculated everything around him. He was looking for another tool. Another thing to use against Arthur.

Instead of bringing Gaius to Gwaine Percival brought him to Merlin. It was the wise thing to do since the knight looked like he would flee if Gaius came anywhere near him.

"You said it's came back. How can you possibly know?" Gaius questioned.

"He still smells the same. It's wriggling, alive inside of him," Merlin said.

"If that's true then we may have a problem," Gaius pondered for a moment before ordering Percival to collect Gwaine and bring him to Gaius' chambers. The physician stayed next to where Merlin was lying to confide that "If the Fomorroh has returned then it means the only way to kill it will be to destroy the mother beast."

"So?" It sounded like they had a problem.

"Well I don't know about you but I haven't the faintest clue where to find Morgana," Ah. "Tell me, how are the streams around your lake."

"Frozen still," Merlin couldn't sniff around even with his magic so long as winter persisted. "I could try finding her on land."

"No," Gaius negated. "It's too dangerous. We both know that she will use you against Arthur if she captures you and with these new beasts she's conjuring who can tell what she might do to you. I think it's best you leave this to us."

"But I want to help," Merlin protested. "Gwaine's my friend."

"Merlin-"

"Wait, Agravaine!" Merlin remembered. "He knows where Morgana is. I know he does. If we can somehow send him to her and follow him then we'll find where Morgana's keeping the Fomorroh."

"Agravaine, are you sure?" Why did everyone react like that whenever Merlin brought up the subject? Nevertheless he nodded.

Gaius hurried off with that information and for a moment Merlin thought he was being allowed to stay. Then the knights came back and took hold of his tub. By the end of the day Merlin was back in his lake conspiring with the others as to how to get food.

Spring came with the breaking of the ice upstream and Gwaine coming to the lake. Apology the first thing on his lips Merlin promised to forgive him if he brought a few animals the next day. Gwaine did and told how Gaius tricked Agravaine to going to Morgana on the pretence that Arthur had taken ill. It had all been cleverly staged and with some help they managed to defeat the Fomorroh.

"Did you capture the two of them?" Merlin asked. Gwaine shook his head and told how they had Morgana surrounded but her magic had grown too powerful for them to subdue her.

"Agravaine's back at the castle. That slimy man used the Fomorroh as an excuse for why he went to Morgana. Arthur's actually believing him as well. But I know the truth, there was nothing in his neck making him do her bidding," Gwaine spat.

"I always knew Arthur was stupid but this..." They shared a knowing look between them. Arthur was too trusting. His good nature was going to get him killed.

"Hopefully he'll slip up again," Gwaine said. "And when he does..."

"For now you should probably concentrate on ways to keep him in the dark about some of Arthur's more covert operations," Merlin suggested. "The less he knows the more risks he'll take."

Gwaine grinned. "Look at you all wise."

"I know how to play people," Merlin smirked.

"I wish you could come back with me," Gwaine confessed. "I know you can't, what with you being illegal and all. Still, if you were there we'd probably have less hassle."

"Doubt it. Arthur seems to attract trouble. It's like he's got a target painted on his back," It was probably one of the reasons Merlin still hung around him. He had an allure of some sort that just wouldn't let him go.

Merlin was thankful winter was over. The knights came often down to the lake once again with stories of tournaments and quests they went on. All of it exciting. Despite spring bringing the knights it didn't bring back Will. The uneasy man that had led raiders to their doom seemed to have disappeared. Merlin chanced swimming upstream towards where the man lived. He knew there was a river not far from the village and it was there that he saw Will sowing seeds in newly softened dirt.

He didn't call him over. For some reason Merlin left him alone. Perhaps it was because he had other friends now. Or that he didn't want to ruin the happiness he saw on Will's face. The ease in which he talked and moved about his home. They weren't friends. Merlin was just a means to get his home back and Will a way to eat. So he left without a word and waited for the knights to come.

It was nearing summer when one of the girls came back from a swim in a different lake. Fretting and talking to anyone that would listen her story would become the talk of the month. Apparently she had seen a necromancer. They called back the dead from wherever they were sleeping and took the poor soul away. The worst part was that she remembered him.

"You remember, he used to visit with Percival," some of the girls nodded eagerly as they recalled the knight that would escort their favourite human to their home.

"Pretty boy?" One of the girls asked and the mermaid nodded. Merlin felt his blood run cold.

What would a necromancer want with Lancelot?


	7. Chapter 7

Merlin was once again cursing the knights of Camelot as he scented Gwen above.

Really, was it too much to ask that they tell him what's going on. Even if they just had a second to shout 'Gwen's coming.' Anything so he wasn't lying in wait wondering whether he should kill her or not.

He was leaning towards yes when he spotted the wagon she hauled behind her. Another curse to the knights and Merlin let her live to sate his curiosity.

Thankfully she wasn't dumb enough to test this lenience he had given her, and was walking around the lake using the banks. Merlin supposed it must be hard to tow that thing though the trees, which begged the question on why she was doing so at all. Wasn't she meant to be in Camelot. Awaiting Arthur's proposal or fending off Lancelot.

Lancelot, another thing he cursed the knights for. Two weeks and not so much as a hello from his old friend. He was starting to think Arthur really was finished with him and had ordered the knights not to approach.

But that still didn't answer what was going on above.

Was she moving? Importing her wedding dress? On an errand from Arthur?

His curiosity won out. In under a minute he was hopping onto the bank and trying to block her path. With only a faint gasp Gwen stopped her cargo.

"Merlin," she sniffed. "I forgot you lived here."

He looked around and at his tail not quite understanding her confusion. "Where else would I live?"

"Oh no its not that, I..." she sighed, brushing her hair from her face. "It's been a hard few weeks. Of course you live here Merlin. I was just surprised. You spend so much time with us and the knights are always talking about you... It's easy to forget you're not human."

"Right."

He felt a little gleeful at the idea the knights talked about him. It showed he wasn't completely forgotten when they left him here. He wondered if Arthur talked about him.

Putting that thought aside for later he nodded to Gwen's wagon. A small sniff told him it was her own things in there, so it was unlikely she was on an errand.

"Moving?" he asked.

She nodded, wringing her hands. "Exiled."

"What?"

He was going to have a long and thorough discussion with Gwaine about leaving him out of the loop when he saw the man.

Just in case he had misheard he inquired further. "Arthur exiled you? Are you sure?"

She sniffed again. Tears were gathering at the corner of her eyes. "I don't blame him. It's better than the alternative after all."

What on earth was going on in Camelot? Last he knew Gwen was going to be Queen and Merlin finally had another friend he could complain to. All of a sudden Arthur had turned in to this tyrant who exiled his former wife to be and did who knew what to Lancelot.

The knights fate was begging to be asked about. But Merlin held his tongue. He didn't think he could handle another shock if something bad had happened to the knight right now.

"So you're not allowed back to Camelot?" he clarified. She shook her head."What are you going to do then?"

He hoped she wasn't here to throw herself to the merfolk. While Merlin appreciated an easy meal he knew there would be dire repercussions if they ate her. Even if Arthur had relinquished all protection over her.

Thankfully she just shrugged.

"I know there's a few villages in Mercia where Elyan said he managed to make work. Hopefully I can persuade them I'm just as good as any man and make a living." she didn't sound too hopeful.

"Well..." he didn't know what to say other than, "Good luck."

She walked off without a backwards glance.

Merlin was loitering around his mother. The little ones had long since grown bored of aggravating him and went back to listening to their music lesson, which meant he had nothing to distract his brain from whirring. He kept replaying what Gwen had told him over and over again. Banished. Lancelot was gone. Arthur was changed somehow. Merlin wondered if magic was at stake. Well, more magic. Thinking about it Merlin decided he really needed to have a word with Morgana. For someone who was trying to help her own and his kind she was doing a lousy job.

An odd smell broke him out of his thoughts.

Darting out of his home he spotted the boat above their shores. But something was wrong. It didn't smell like anyone was in there. Instead, a tangy sweet odour emanated out and towards Merlin's sensitive nose.

He supposed the boat could have floated off. Then cast away that thought when he spotted the oars moving ever so slightly to push the boat along. No. There was someone in there.

Huffing Merlin took a wild guess who, and rose up before one of the others could try something.

His hunch was right. There, sitting with a put out pout in his face, was Arthur.

"Don't you have a kingdom to run?" Merlin asked, running his finger through the mess on Arthur's face. Berries. Smart.

"They can survive a day without me," Arthur replied with a slight roll in his eyes. "How did you know it was me?"

Merlin shrugged, "A guess really. I asked myself who would be stupid enough to try his luck with a trick like this and your name came to mind." His fingers kept sticking together from the berry juice. Even a run through the water wasn't enough to dislodge it. "What are these things?"

"Gaia berries. And it wasn't stupid. I'll have you know I've fought off Wilddeoren with those."

"Right. Are you sure it was the berries? Your own odour's quite potent. I know I've almost passed out-" he laughed as Arthur made a lunge for him. The berries still stuck to his face made it an even funnier sight.

Arthur didn't seem all that different at first glance. He was his old self. Joking about with Merlin. Which told him that everything was wrong. He had just banished Gwen, the supposed love of his life. He should be heartbroken. Arthur really was changed, or hurt. All Merlin knew was that he wasn't himself.

It took some time for the pair of them to calm. When he did Merlin perched himself on the side of the boat, his tail flicking water up as he did so.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Arthur didn't even try to deny there was something amiss. "Everything," he said. It sounded like it too.

"Wanna tell me about it? I've been told I'm quite a good listener."

Arthur scoffed. "Good at arguing maybe. Listening... I don't think so."

"The only reason I argue with you is because you're an idiot. But ask anyone else, I dare you, and they'll tell you the truth."

"You know what, you're right Merlin," Arthur acquiesced. Merlin was surprised for all of a second before Arthur flicked his ear, "With things like these you have to be."

More water was sent Arthur's way for that comment.

"Seriously Arthur," Merlin said when the man had finished wiping the latest bout of water from his face. "You can tell me. Gwen was by earlier in the week. I know about her banishment."

A shutter seemed to come down. The smile was wiped and replaced with a look Merlin had honestly never seen on Arthur before. It took some time for Merlin to recognize it as despair.

"Everything's wrong Merlin," Arthur started and went in to what had taken place these past few weeks. "Gwaine will be down later. I know he was a friend of yours. You should at least be able to say goodbye." he finished.

He knew it was Lancelot Arthur was talking about. There was no other knight it could be.

Merlin could only say, "Why do you never come down here about a girl anymore? I actually miss those days."

Arthur huffed, a sad smile playing on his lips. "Probably because the only girl I actually care about anymore is a merman who spends half his time threatening me."

Merlin copied Arthur's look. He didn't have the strength to do much more than say "Har har," before slipping back into the lake.

Arthur let him go.

Gwaine led the procession down. His face sombre and stride purposeful he stopped at the edge and called Merlin forth.

The rest of the knights were behind him, a pallet on their shoulders. Each of them were unarmed, and stood unflinching as the merfolk rose to see what was going on.

"Thought you might like to pay your respects. You never got to before," Gwaine said, since there, pale and stiff was Lancelot.

Merlin did pay his respects. Seeing the knight again had been like a dagger to his heart. Days of the knight helping him when he was in need, accepting him with only a slight shock while Arthur took days. He was too good a friend. One who didn't deserve this violation.

"Morgana needs to be stopped," Merlin heard himself say. He knew Arthur was the one who was responsible for this. But Morgana was the one who brought him back in the first place. "She's disrupting everything."

Someone with her abilities shouldn't be using them for this unnatural work While she may not feel the consequences of her work, the lake, and everyone around him, had. It had been building for some time, like a poison. Seeping from her hiding place and spreading anywhere it could take root.

Animals had became sparse. Merlin had thought it was the winter keeping them away. Yet Spring had came, it was Summer now, and they only got a buck if they were lucky. Anything larger had fled. Anything smaller had started huddling together, preparing to migrate to safer havens. Unless they called the birds from their skies humans had started to become their only food source. If this continued... he'd heard his mother and the others talk about moving.

Then there were the other problems. The lakes itself had a horrid taste to it these days. They had sent some scouts to see what was going on. The answer wasn't good. Three girls had went off, two had came back alive. The third had been towed between them, a horrid cut across her jaw. That hadn't been what killed her. Apparently the cut had been from a fishing hook. The cause of death the poison the fisherman had placed in the meat on the hook. They said it got worse. After discovering they were there the man upended a barrel, said Morgana sends her love, and washed them over with pink, foul smelling liquid. That too was poison. The girls that came back collapsed as soon as they were home. They died within hours, but not before delivering their warning.

They got the message. Morgana was declaring war. Not only on Camelot, but on anyone who thought they could defy her.

Gwaine left after Merlin waved them off. He didn't want to look at his shadow of a friend.

Arthur was back a few days later and Merlin was tempted to ignore him.

For hours now Arthur had been drifting over the lake. Merlin had scented him before he even stepped foot in his boat and deliberated over whether he should see what Arthur wanted. That had been four hours ago.

Hour three and Merlin was dying with curiosity. Already he had swam up three times, only to stop short of breaking the surface. He was back at the bottom of the lake before Arthur could see him as well, even if he wished the man would just call out his name as he was want to do, and force Merlin to go up. But Arthur hadn't wanted to talk to him, properly anyway, last time he was here. Merlin doubted today was any different and he couldn't be bothered to pretend there was nothing wrong.

From the glimpses he had caught of the man, Arthur still didn't look any better. He was paler than he had been last time. His tunic was hanging untied, one strong shoulder exposed to the elements. Instead of embracing his dishevelled appearance with his usual arrogant stance he was slumped, his face eerily near the water, a pout firmly in place. All of it was enough to make Merlin curious as to why Arthur was here. Yet he stayed under.

Hour four was his breaking point. Arthur hadn't left and didn't look to be about to leave until he saw Merlin.

It was with that thought which had Merlin breaching and glaring at Arthur.

"What is is? What do you want?" he snapped.

A small smile came onto Arthur's face, his finger tracing Merlin's cheek.

"I missed you," Arthur said. Sitting up straight he patted the wood next to him, "Will you sit with me a while?"

Merlin couldn't wrap his head around what was happening. Arthur looked miserable and all he wanted was for Merlin to sit with him.

Doing as he was bid Merlin changed his tail and sat himself next to Arthur, expressing his confusion as soon as he was settled. When Arthur didn't say anything he chanced guessing what was wrong. Arthur changed the subject to the latest plait the girls were tying out this month as soon as Merlin tried.

So Merlin told Arthur about the girls new hairstyle. He even offered to show Arthur, to which the man let him. Head resting on Merlin's stomach he let him twist blonde strands into one another in a tight braid across his forehead. Not one complaint was sounded even as Merlin twisted too hard on occasion. In fact, by the time Merlin finished Arthur was sound asleep.

Stuck with a man on his lap in a boat Merlin resigned himself to sunbathing until Arthur woke up. He could always just knock him, but Merlin really was soft-hearted when it came to Arthur.

Thankfully it was summer, so Merlin didn't have to worry so much about covering up. By the time Arthur woke the sun was a steady blaze, boring down on them.

"Sorry," Arthur said, sitting up.

"What's wrong?" Merlin sighed, he couldn't be bothered to dance around the subject anymore. "And don't say nothing, you look a mess."

A familiar scowl worked its way onto Arthur's brow, his voice all haughty as he spoke, "Says the man who plaits hair like a girl."

"While talking to the man who asked said man to plait his hair like a girl. Stop avoiding the subject Arthur," Merlin said.

"It's nothing Merlin," Arthur waved off. "Just some changes at the castle."

"Good changes?" Merlin asked pointedly looking at Arthur's state of undress.

Arthur was looking more and more like himself with every insult he thought up about Merlin. "Just changes."

"And Gwen?"

The frown was back, any energy Arthur had sagging out of him. "Let's not mention her," Arthur suggested.

"Why did you banish her?" Merlin sighed.

"Merlin," Arthur warned. "Something else," he said.

"Fine," Merlin sighed, composing his face into something that wasn't eager he crawled into Arthur's lap. If the man was free from Gwen Merlin could at least indulge in some fun. He deserved it from the week he was having. "Let's talk about something else then."

He felt when Arthur relaxed. The chest underneath him softening and a strong hand carding through his hair.

"Such a girl," He heard Arthur mutter, but didn't call him out on it.

Instead he focused Arthur's attention on the bank facing them, making a game out of how many birds they could name.

Late afternoon Arthur had to leave. Apparently he had things to attend to back at the castle. Merlin hazarded that Arthur had things to attend to in the castle all day. The only reason he was going back now was because, like Merlin, he had spotted the flash of red in the bushes. Arthur's gallant knights had came to collect him, or at least keep an eye on him.

He thought that would be the last time he would see Arthur for a while. The gaps between their visits were growing longer and longer the more authority Arthur had. Yet the blonde was back the next day, asking Merlin to take a walk with him among the trees. Again the day after that, for a picnic of all things. The next day had Arthur bringing Percival. The knight playing his harp for them and Arthur laughing at Merlin's waspish teaching.

"He's easier on me than you sire," Percival said, a grin firmly in place.

"That's because he's teaching you music, I'm teaching you how to survive," Arthur remarked.

The knight scoffed, testing Arthur's good mood by saying, "Merlin's doing that too. Without this," He strummed another gentle tune, "I'd be at the bottom of that lake. Right Merlin."

"Without a doubt," Merlin agreed. Even if he was adjusting Percival's fingers. The knight was good, but he wasn't brilliant yet. Merlin wouldn't be satisfied until he could play any creature into serenity.

The next day Arthur visited he brought Gwaine. The pair of them drank the day away, with Merlin playing peace keeper when Gwaine thought himself lucky enough to get a kiss from one of the girls.

Merlin didn't mind so much the drinking. Even if Gwaine was nursing a rather vicious bite. After all, his stay in Camelot had shown Merlin that alcohol helped people forget some of their troubles for a while. Another girl had came back the day before saying the poison was growing more potent closer to their stream. A few more days and more barrels would have them needing to move.

Merlin didn't tell Arthur that. The man was still looking worse for wear. As far as Arthur was concerned the lake was safe and his biggest trouble was Lancelot and Gwen's betrayal.

"- trustworthy. I think that was what made it so bad Merlin. He was so trustworthy. I had to put my life in his hands every time I saw him," he slurred. "Who knows what else he's been hiding. Or what else he's done with Gwen... I've been such a fool."

"No," Merlin soothed. He pushed back Arthur's fringe, those blue eyes of him bright in the moonlight. "It's not you who's done wrong here Arthur. They knew what it meant to betray you like this. The only thing you've done wrong is not see it sooner."

He knew this was unfair of him. He liked Lancelot. The man had been his friend. Gwen on the other hand... He didn't know her well enough to have an opinion. All he knew was that she had a hold on Arthur's heart. One that was fractured but not yet broken. If slandering Lancelot and Gwen's good name would enable Merlin to tear that last thread of feeling he had for her then so be it. Besides, it wasn't like that man was actually Lancelot. Merely a shade. So Merlin wasn't really disrespecting him, just the man who looked like him.

It was times like this when Merlin really noticed how much his merman half dominated him. The ability to switch off his affection for someone, in this case Lancelot, and carry on with his plan. If only he could do the same with Arthur.

As it was the idiot was lamenting again at how stupid he was. He didn't seem to have heard Merlin at all and listed Lancelot's traits, trying to find through all of them what the man had that Arthur didn't.

"He was handsome I suppose." Those blue eyes were fixed on Merlin again, "Did you think he was handsome?"

Merlin swore there were tears there, and wondered if he could tear up that fast if he tried.

"Yes."

"I knew it," Arthur muttered, turning his face away and into the grass like he was trying to suffocate himself. "Even you thought he was better than me."

"You asked if I thought him handsome," Merlin pointed out. "And I answered truthfully. He was. However if you wish me to tell you he's better than you then I can't. He's too honourable. As much as you would like to think yourself honourable we both know you'll bend the rules. I like that."

"Really?"

It was almost pitiful the look he gave Merlin.

"Yes."

Gwaine managed to get Arthur back to the castle when he stopped the worst of the bleeding. That didn't stop Arthur from coming back in the morning. Lying on the bank he spent until noon trying not to be sick. Merlin had much fun trying to coax the man into the boat. Even the notion of the rocking pile of wood had Arthur panting into the gravel.

"So how's handsome this morning?" Merlin asked.

"Shut up," Arthur snapped.

Merlin couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. "Still feeling lacking?"

"I mean it," Arthur warned.

"Want me to stroke your ego a bit more?" He purred.

Merlin avoided the swat to his face. But not the one to his arm. He wiped off the wet stones kicking Arthur in retaliation. The brief tussle that followed had Merlin yielding when his leg got kicked too hard.

"They're still new," He huffed, rubbing the new bruise.

"Girl," Arthur enunciated.

Merlin tried to think of something more to say, trying to prolong the moment. Even now he could see Arthur's frown threatening the edges of his smile.

"Why don't we go for a ride?"

That had Arthur's attention.

"Really?"

Arthur was the picture of scepticism and Merlin didn't blame him. Gwaine, Lancelot- when he had been alive- even Leon had tried to take him riding when he was stuck in Camelot. Merlin didn't even want to touch a horse, unless he was eating it, never mind ride one. To offer it now, well, Arthur would definitely know he was being a misery.

Not that he minded. "Fine."

He was helping Merlin up in the next ten minutes onto a brown monstrosity.

"Bad idea, I take it back," Merlin panicked, the horse was moving under him. "Let's just lay around at the lake again."

"No chance," Arthur said, hopping up easily behind him.

After the initial fright of being on another living thing Merlin had to admit that horse riding was as bad as he thought it was. It hurt his legs, his arse. There was no place for him to put his feet since Arthur had the stirrups. His arms were more than useless, dangling one moment and looking for a place to rest the next.

When they finally stopped Merlin couldn't move. It took them more time than necessary to get down from the beast since Arthur couldn't stop laughing at Merlin long enough to help him.

Leaving the horse tied the two of them stumbled to a log so Merlin could regain his courage.

It took some doing before he was able to move around again.

They spent the time in the forest with Arthur showing him this and that. The different wildlife that didn't go to Merlin's lake for water, and how to track them. He even turned a blind eye when Merlin went off for an hour, coming back with blood still running from his mouth.

Unfortunately that was the last good day Arthur came.

The next time they met Merlin was scouring the woods.

The king had been riding down, looking slightly better today. His hair was combed and he looked well rested as he hopped down to walk alongside Merlin.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Even his tone seemed more chipper.

Which was why Merlin merely said, "Nothing you need to worry about." and promptly changed the subject to Camelot.

Agravaine was being his usual shifty self. Not that Arthur noticed. The man had taken a few more days of impromptu leave on the pretence of smoking out their mole. Merlin just wanted to bash Arthur's head until he realized Agravaine was the mole. But if Arthur hadn't seen it before when the evidence was so obvious a blind man could see, he didn't have high hopes this time around. So he kept quiet and offered little advice when Arthur told him about the Druid camp they had encountered.

"-knights find out..." He finished with a sigh. "Gaius has already counselled us not to go back."

"I should think so," Merlin said. "Places like that are probably teeming with curses. I remember we massacred a druid camp when I was a child. The people who found the remains tried to do the same to us. Unfortunately for them however, they had to contend with me."

"How do you mean?"

Merlin shrugged, "My magic didn't like theirs. It reacted instinctively to protect myself and my mother and... well they couldn't finish their little spell. I think they moved the resting place to a few miles off from here. They also warned the villagers about us. Before that people didn't know we existed here, you see."

Arthur 'ah'-ed recalling that incident himself. "It was a bandit that came and told us. He had come to us with a sorcerer, offering a reward, my father encouraged this sort of thing. Anyway he mentioned the lake. Said there were girls living in there more beautiful than he had ever seen. After that there were patrols and-"

"You realized we were more dangerous than the average knight," Merlin finished, remembering the patrols, and even a visit from the king when people started going missing.

Arthur smirked, "Well I wouldn't say that..."

"I would," Merlin said. "Even with legs we're more dangerous than the average knight. Maybe even more so."

He brushed his fingers over Arthur's neck, biting back a laugh as he squirmed away.

"I was distracted," Arthur argued.

"I'd say so," Merlin agreed.

"Wasn't at my best," he went on.

"Of course."

"Shut up Merlin."

He didn't even try to stop the laugh this time. He didn't even try to stop the laugh this time. The pout on Arthur's face was too good to keep his hilarity in check.

"If it was a fair fight I know I could take you," Arthur said when Merlin calmed down.

Merlin hummed, knowing Arthur couldn't.

"I could." He even puffed his chest out like that would make him more threatening.

"Arthur, I'm going to explain this in the same way I explained it to Percival. My kind are made to pull down ships. I could snap your wrist with a flick. You couldn't take me."

To that Arthur sent a gentle kick to Merlin's legs. He was sprawled on the forest floor in seconds with Arthur's blue eyes glinting down at him.

"I'd say I could."

"Shut up," Merlin huffed.

Arthur's smirk was back as he straddled Merlin's chest, effectively pinning him in place.

"Oh no, I'm going to savour this. I've just brought down a legendary creature of immeasurable strength after all," he drawled.

"Doesn't count," Merlin argued trying to get up.

Arthur pushed him back down, rolling his hips as he did so. It was like a bucket of cold water had been splashed on him. Arthur froze before catapulting upright and pulling Merlin with him.

"Anyway," He coughed, "I need to find a way to make sure the Druid issue is resolved."

"Right," Merlin agreed.

They walked a few more miles down before duty called and Arthur was summoned back to Camelot. Namely by Gwaine who more shoved Arthur away for his own alone time with Merlin.

The knight had came to visit about the druids as well.

He retold Arthur's story with a much more dramatic overtone. Finishing with Elyan acting a bit odd these past few days.

"Don't think there's something amiss, do you?"

"Maybe," Merlin said. "Depends on whether he touched anything. Shouldn't Gaius know about this stuff?"

Gwaine nodded, "Sure, but the guy's not my biggest fan these days. I tend to get a bit rough with the other knights on the training field, and he's not exactly liking the new patients he's getting."

"So you decided to ask me," Merlin finished. He mulled over other possibilities it could be. "Maybe he's just upset Gwen's gone. They were family after all. Family cares for each other. Right?"

Gwaine grinned, "It's not just your people who can have feelings Merlin. And I guess so. But it just doesn't seem like it's a Gwen situation."

Merlin sighed reiterating that "You should ask Gaius. I don't know as much about this stuff as I should."

Gwaine agreed, but still hung around for a while. Walking with him as Merlin ventured further and further along the forest.

"Something else you needed?" Merlin asked.

Gwaine dithered for a moment, "Arthur seems happier these days. It's causing quite a stir in the castle. Especially considering we're expecting a princess visiting soon."

"You want me to back off?" Merlin guessed.

Gwaine pursed his lips, trying to formulate the best way to say what was coming next. "Yes and no. I mean, you're making Arthur better. He's not taking Gwen's banishment as hard as I thought he would. He's actually able to function on kingly things. But people aren't seeing this productivity well. They want him to be mopey. Especially Agravaine. After all, if Arthur's distracted he can get away with more."

"So what do you suggest?"

Gwaine shrugged. "I don't know. I was just pointing it out. I suppose there's nothing _you_ can do. It's not really you're fault."

"I get it, you just need someone to complain to. It's basically why I talk to you as well," Merlin said, garnering a laugh out of Gwaine. "Seriously though, talk to Gaius," he parted with.

Gwaine agreed, walking back towards where he had left his horse.

The merfolk had to move the next week. Merlin could taste the sweet tang of poison everywhere he swam and already three more of his people had died.

Not being a pack or family there was no agreed place to migrate. Really as soon as the third mermaid died everyone swam wherever it was safe.

For his part Merlin took his mother to a stream not far off. Even here he could taste the poison and knew they couldn't stay.

"We're going to have to go on land," He said.

His mother didn't look shocked. In fact, as she later informed him, she had been waiting for him to suggest such a thing for a while now.

"I've lived on land before Merlin," she said. "And it seems the safest option. At least until you can figure out how to purify the water."

She let Merlin lead her out, and help her up as he used his magic to change her tail into legs.

"We should hurry before night falls. That was always the worst," His mother warned.

Merlin agreed with her.

So, together, they started on the rocky slope to Camelot.

Despite his mother having legs in the past it didn't mean she was solid on land now. Out of practice she mostly relied on Merlin to move them forwards.

With two of them it was slower. They just managed to make it into the citadel before dark fell.

The guards gave them odd looks. One of them eyed his mother in a way that had him baring his teeth at him. The other seemed to recognize Merlin from his visits and abandoned his post to call someone more experienced with Merlin to come get him.

Percival was the one they found. The man snapping at the guard looking over Merlin's mother before taking her in his strong arms.

"What happened?" He asked, towing the two of them inside.

"Nothing. We just needed to move," Merlin said.

"I sent someone to notify Arthur," Percival said, brining them to a room quite similar to Gwaines. Merlin guessed all knights were issued rooms like this.

His mother was set down on the bed. Percival, being the gallant knight he was offered her his cloak before calling a servant to fetch some clothes for her. Merlin was still seething from the guard eyeing her up and almost followed the servant out so he could find something to cover her up.

Arthur came in with thundering feet, shouting his presence before he was even in the room.

"What happened this-" He caught sight of Merlin's mother. Merlin didn't think he had ever seen Arthur look as horrified as he was in that moment. "Is that...?"

"My mother? Yes."

He took Arthur's cloak off him to join Percival's in covering his mother. The wind was starting to blow through the window, and Merlin could see it was starting to get to her. He knew he was definitely feeling it.

The moment of shock passed. Arthur was all business as he called for servants and ordered for Merlin to tell him what had happened.

"Nothing," Merlin repeated. "We just needed to move."

"Merlin," Arthur growled, in that demanding way that always had Merlin wanting to spill his secrets.

"Fine. Everyone's decided to move. We thought it would be best to travel on land. It's faster."

"Merlin," Arthur said again.

"Morgana poisoned our water." It wasn't Merlin that had spoken. His mother was watching them with a special glint in her eye that promised a telling off later for Merlin.

As if that wasn't bad enough Arthur fixed him with his own glare, demanding, "There's no way she could have done this at once, the lake's too big... how long has this been going on for Merlin?"

"A while."

"Merlin!" Arthur huffed, "Why didn't you say anything? I could have helped you!" Something came to him, "Wait, what's happened to the others?"

"They moved, I just told you," Merlin said.

Arthur took a moment to get himself together. Thankfully a horde of servants came in to help him with that. With people sent here and there Merlin found himself in Arthur's chambers in minutes. His mother was already making herself comfortable. Looking over books and inquiring what kind of animals lived in Camelot. When a servant failed to answer adequately she asked how many guards there needed to be to keep the city safe. The servants kept a wide berth of her after that.

His mother didn't like the dresses. To which Arthur mumbled something that sounded eerily like 'like mother like son,' before telling her it didn't matter unless they had company. Merlin thought it kind of did matter and tried to get her to wear at least a robe.

Through all this the only thing he could say was that at least Arthur didn't ogle his mother like the others. Even the servants that had went around her gave her a second look. Now Merlin knew his mother was attractive. She was a mermaid, she had to be. But this was just disturbing. Not to mention she was even more hopeless than Merlin with her feet. If a guard decided he wanted to take advantage of her, all it would take would be a shot to the legs and she would be... well not helpless, but easier to get at. For not the first time he wished Arthur hadn't given him that stupid human reproduction talk. Even more so when he realized for the first time in his life that his mother had created him like that. He stopped that line of thought.

"Mother please," Merlin tried again, holding out the itchy material to her.

"I don't see you wearing anything," She pointed out. The, "Your father never made me. It just goes to show how much has changed since I've been up here."

"Mother," he begged, not wanting more information about his creation. "Just until the servants leave."

She merely crossed her arms and sent him one of her famous looks.

Knowing he had lost this fight he retreated to sit with Arthur who too was holding out clothes, only this time they were for him. Setting an example he pulled on the shirt and showed his mother he had done so. She didn't even look at him. Instead she continued looking about Arthur's chambers.

"Where are you planning on going?" Arthur asked, snapping him out of his next attempt to clothe his mother.

Merlin shrugged in answer. Really he had been trying to find a suitable place to live the other week when Arthur found him. However, every stream and lake encountered was tainted with poison. It seemed Morgana wasn't about to let them get away that easy. If they were teaming up with Arthur she was going to make sure each and every one of them, innocent or not, died.

"Never really thought about it," Merlin said.

"Idiot," Arthur sighed. "You should have came to see me," he repeated.

"You couldn't have done anything Arthur. They used the streams. It was impossible to judge where they were going to dump the next bout. Really we were planning on leaving earlier, but the streams... I don't think there's many of our people left alive."

"Merlin..." there was nothing Arthur could really say to make things better. Merlin supposed to him Morgana was almost doing him a favour. Then amended that thought. Arthur wasn't cold hearted. Even if his kind did eat Arthur's he did care. Otherwise he wouldn't have looked so lost as he wandered the room that night.

The servants had filled the tub. Arthur letting his mother have free reign, wanting her to feel at home as possible.

He still didn't bat an eyelash as she strode over to the tub. Merely came to sit near Merlin again.

The night passed much like that. Arthur working himself into a state before calming down and sitting motionless somewhere for a while.

His mother got the bed, wriggling as much as Merlin did when she lay down. Merlin decided he didn't much want to sleep and so lay in front of the fire watching Arthur pace again.

He must have drifted off. The next thing he knew he felt someone stroking along his thigh, knowing it was Arthur as he registered his smell.

"My mother's metres away," He mumbled.

The hand stopped, pulling back in a swift yank. Merlin fought a smile.

"How are you feeling?" Arthur asked, "Warm enough?"

"Sure," Merlin said, turning on his back.

Bathed in firelight Arthur looked even more miserable.

Sighing Merlin said, "This is exactly why I didn't tell you. You're already miserable, I didn't want to add to it."

Arthur scoffed, "I am not miserable."

"Gwen."

A shadow crossed Arthur's face.

"Shut up Merlin."

"Told you."

They sat in silence for a while. Merlin watching as Arthur fidgeted and thought through recent events.

"I still would have liked to know Merlin," Arthur said.

"I know."

Arthur lay down beside him, pushing him down so the blare of the fire was on him instead of Merlin. "There are no more lakes are there? None near here anyway?"

"No."

"You should have told me."

Merlin was quite sick of hearing that.

"Well you know now," Merlin said.

"I do," Arthur sighed, looking him in the eyes, "And just so you know you and your mother are welcome in Camelot for as long as you like. I'm sure, so long as you don't eat anyone, we can learn to coexist."

"That's nice of you," Merlin noted.

"You've always been welcome here," Arthur said, edging closer.

Merlin could spy his intentions before Arthur himself and found he wasn't that against it. In fact Merlin took the initiative to close the distance himself.

Arthur was eager. Straddling his chest and kissing him with fever.

Merlin forgot that his mother was in the same room as them. He even forgot about what brought him to Camelot in the first place. Especially when Arthur accidentally nudged against his cock. He could feel himself hardening under his shirt.

What was first accidentally became intentional in seconds. The two of them rutting together as Arthur broke off and nipped down his neck. Merlin had forgotten how good it was. The last time this had happened he had been half starved and wanting Arthur's blood. This time he was at least a little less hungry and could appreciate the sparks that erupted whenever Arthur touched him.

His tunic was off with Arthur's following in seconds. Chest to chest was definitely better. He hadn't had this last time, and cursed himself for it. Arthur's skin was glorious. Warm and soft as it rubbed and glided against his own. Merlin wanted more, and tried to use his feet to push Arthur's breeches down. It didn't work and forced his hands to leave their lovely spot on Arthur's shoulders to pull him up to untie them.

"Arthur," he gasped as Arthur thwarted that attempt as well. His hands were back on Arthur's shoulders as the man's tongue centred on his nipple.

Arthur bit at it gently before kissing down the rest of his chest. Merlin both wanted him to continue and stop him at the same time. The primal part of him arguing that it wasn't fair only him feeling like this. He wanted to torture Arthur just as much as he was torturing him.

He reached for Arthur's breeches again as the door slammed open.

Arthur froze on top of him. Merlin on the other hand tried to look around to see who it was. He got a glimpse of black hair when Arthur snapped out of his daze and scrambled for his tunic.

"Elyan," Arthur said, as he composed himself. "This isn't- I mean-"

While Arthur was trying to compose himself Merlin was more concerned about the fact Elyan had his sword drawn. He supposed it would have been a hurtful sight to see the man who wanted to marry his sister now draped over Merlin. Then again Elyan had known beforehand about Arthur's more than innocent feelings towards Merlin. Not to mention his kind was known for seduction. All of that leading to the fact that Elyan should have been mad, but not mad enough to draw his sword and look murderous like he did now.

"Arthur," Merlin warned, sensing something wasn't right. He couldn't really put his finger on it until his magic flared and Elyan spoke.


	8. Chapter 8

So far coexistence consisted of three murder attempts and a hunting party. Around the time Arthur was heading out by himself Merlin was wondering what he had agreed to.

"You're going to get yourself killed," Merlin called as Arthur donned his armour.

Arthur didn't pause in his work as he tightened his arm guard. "So be it."

"I'm not coming to rescue you."

"I wasn't expecting you to," Arthur huffed, like even the notion of Merlin helping him was hilarious.

"My mother needs me here."

"I completely understand," Arthur said, smiling kindly at Merlin's mother as he passed her.

She was sitting at Arthur's table, looking over a few tomes Gaius had brought up. The mayhem earlier had done more than wake her up.

The Druid cemetery they had stumbled across the other week turned out to leave more than a mental impression on the knight's minds. Elyan's especially. Despite Merlin, and, as he later found out, Gaius', warnings he had disturbed something at the site. Merlin knew that it wasn't an immediate thing with ghosts. They took their time to wear away at their victims minds until they were able to get them to that point where it was more than easy to take over. A relief, to the victims, actually.

This one had held a grudge against Arthur. Something the other knights, strangely, hadn't picked up on. He had came in speaking in a child's voice, swinging his sword in an untrained wild arc as he accused Arthur of harming him. The knights had came in at the end of the fight. They took Elyan down, only for him to escape. Arthur had sent men after him already, figuring Elyan wouldn't have made it that far just yet. He had stopped those who went to make sure they only apprehended Elyan and didn't kill him. They agreed that Elyan wasn't responsible for his actions.

After Gaius had came in and yelled at Arthur he had told them what Merlin already suspected. Elyan was possessed, and so far there was no cure they could find.

So Arthur was doing something stupid, as usual, and arming up. Alone. While his knights, probably, went the wrong way because Arthur was want to do things by himself.

"Would you just wait," Merlin begged, as he looked around for some breeches or a tunic. There was no way he was heading out in the cold with nothing on.

His wandering hands were stopped as Arthur took them and led him over to the bed. "Merlin no. You're staying here with your mother. I'll be back before morning."

"Yes, you are," Merlin agreed, as he took his hands back. "Because I'm coming with you."

Arthur appealed to those at the table, "Hunith will you tell him."

"Don't tell my mother on me," Merlin hissed.

Thankfully his mother was on his side as she set her book aside to give Arthur a stern look. "Merlin's going with you. From what I hear, you would be dead by now if he didn't. Darling make sure to wrap up warm."

He sent Arthur a triumphant smile as he went in search for clothes again.

Arthur was reluctant to bring him, and tried his best to lose him as he went in search of a horse. It was something Arthur never even thought of that almost made Merlin stay behind. The horse. Merlin had never rode one before.

"Go back to the room Merlin," Arthur told him as he mounted easily.

The horse loomed before him. He knew he shouldn't have been scared, he had eaten bigger things. He'd even eaten a few horses himself. But riding one. The horse grew skittish as he came closer. It could probably sense the hunter in Merlin.

He took a breath before walking to the horses' saddle and ordering Arthur to help him up. He saw the small smile on Arthur's face at the command, before fear overtook him again as Arthur spurred the horse into moving.

It was horrible. He didn't know what to do with his legs. They dangled uselessly on either side, sliding and jumping making him constantly unbalanced. His hands were worse. He alternated between holding onto the taught reigns with Arthur or clutching onto the thighs behind him.

They reached as far as they could go on horseback, for which Merlin was thankful. The trees thickened until Merlin was having to stop every few seconds to unlatch himself from a branch or root that kept him captive.

"Elyan could be anywhere," Merlin said, growling at another branch as it caught on his tunic.

"He isn't," Arthur said, certainty in his voice. "It's just up ahead."

'Just up ahead' was a clearing that looked like a party had just left. There were ribbons tied to the trees in every colour material Merlin had ever seen. Swords and spears still littered the edges of the trees, wedged into the dirt in a probably important pattern.

The whole place buzzed with magic. It was in the air, the earth, the plants around it. It was warning Merlin not to step further. For once he was inclined to do as it asked.

At least until he saw Elyan. As Arthur predicted he was at the clearing. Drenched to the bone, he stared at nothing until Arthur crept closer.

"Elyan?"

The Druid ghost still had a hold on him. The child's voice came out again, repeating its same warnings and pleas against Arthur.

As the king drew his blade, Merlin readied himself for a fight. He knew this kind of magic wouldn't leave with just steel thrown at it. Even if it did it would put up one hell of a fight. Yet Arthur didn't advance, he dropped his sword much like those already in the soil and dropped to his knees.

He was defenceless, just waiting for Elyan to kill him.

Then Merlin heard something he really didn't want to hear.

"It was all my fault."

Arthur lead the attack. He had knowingly sought out and killed these people. He listened with a half ear as Arthur apologised, too stunned to do more. Sure, he knew Arthur was responsible for murdering some people in his kingdom, Lancelot was proof of that. But connecting that to what people said about him purging the land of magic had always been hard to do. It was probably because Arthur had never shown him any real anger, or presented any real danger. When he had first revealed himself to be a creature of magic Arthur had taken his time. Had ignored him at most, before reconciling.

It wasn't like he had never killed anyone either. What he told Gwaine was true, his people had once taken out a druid camp that came to their lake. But that was food. They needed those people to survive. What Arthur had done here was for sport. There was no real reason why they had to die.

"-day. But I can promise that now that I am king I will do anything I can to prevent anything like this happening again. From this day forth, the druid people will be treated with the respect they deserve, I give you my word."

Arthur's words broke through the noise in his ears. It brought him back to the scene at hand, away from the horrors Arthur had committed. He was still on his knees, with Elyan before him, his hand reaching towards his sword.

Merlin should have done something. Stepped in the way, or just tore Elyan apart. But some part of him told him to stay. He didn't think he had ever felt empathy before, and wouldn't like to do so again, but right then he didn't want to save Arthur. He deserved whatever the Druid ghost wanted to do with him. Even if it was forgiveness.

The ghost left with Elyan collapsing down. Merlin could feel it as it returned to the well it had came from. Back into nature where it belonged. He still didn't do anything. He couldn't.

The ride back was stilted with unsaid words. Elyan had neglected a horse coming here so the three of them managed to wave down a patrol to take him back to Camelot. He spared Merlin a brief thank you before he left. Merlin didn't know why. The knight had never liked him and Merlin respected him for being so honest about it.

As they dismounted Arthur was the one who put his mind at rest on that front. "The Druid wouldn't have left if you had interfered. I thank you for keeping your distance."

Merlin didn't reply, his mind was still on what he had heard. Also the steel Arthur had made sure to pick up before they left the clearing.

"What's wrong Merlin?" Arthur drawled, pulling him into an alcove just shy of his rooms.

"Nothing. I just didn't realise before that what people said was true. You really do kill those with magic don't you?"

"Ah," Arthur sighed, his tiring day and a further confrontation leaving him deflated on the stone behind him. "I've never kept this from you."

"No," Merlin admitted. "But I guess I just didn't think much about it before."

"We've tried to kill you more than once Merlin," Arthur pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm not exactly a small boy." Even to his kind killing children was abhorrent. Especially when they could groom them into bringing them more adults.

That threw Arthur. "Really?" He asked, "That's where you draw the line? Not women or elderly people. Children?"

"They're cute," Merlin mumbled, not wanting to make himself the bad guy by explaining his reasons. "And they don't threaten us when they find out what we are. They don't care because they don't know any better."

Arthur withdrew into himself again as what just happened came back to him. "You're right Merlin. You're right. They don't know any better, and I sent who knows how many to their graves that day." He held himself high for the next part of his reasoning. "But not anymore. I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it. First with you, and then tomorrow with the council. Today will not happen again."

They went back to the room.

The knights had been quicker than Merlin and Arthur in returning to the castle. Elyan was with Gaius in his chambers while the rest of the knights went back to their duties and patrols. Merlin's mother was back in Arthur's bed. Sensitive to the cold nights she greeted them as they came back before rolling over and trying to get some rest.

Merlin went back to his furs in front of the newly banked fire and felt, more than heard, Arthur collapse down next to him.

Elyan's possession period was feared throughout the castle in the next few days. He was confined to his room, firstly from exhaustion. Sleepless nights and traipsing through the forest meant he had almost a weeks worth of sleep to catch up on. The reasons for why he still stayed in his room after that were because everyone looked at him funny or avoided him as he walked past.

A week, and he only came out for knight's training. Arthur's closest knights treated Elyan like they always did. Gwaine asked about Elyan's 'secret girl', while Percival just hung back and offered a welcoming smile towards his friend. Leon bossed them all around, the best course of action to a group of friends who spent most of their time trying to mess around the castle. All of which Merlin could tell Elyan appreciated.

It still didn't stop him from retreating to his part of the castle afterwards.

"You should talk to him," Arthur suggested.

They were in Arthur's rooms. Merlin's mother had started getting used to the castle. She went for daily walks with Gaius, the man's slow gait perfect for his mother to keep up with in her relearning stage.

They had used the privacy as best they could. Merlin wanting to pick up from before Elyan had attacked them. Arthur, on the other hand, had dealt with Merlin by handing him a tethered pig and retreated to the window. He joined when he was finished.

"Talk to who?"

He looked outside, only to see nothing amiss. There wasn't anyone specific in his eyesight. No one familiar anyway. The only exciting thing to see was a horse bucking away from its owner.

Yet Arthur's mind had strayed to someone anyway as he said, "Elyan." Like it was obvious, and there weren't hundreds of other people in Arthur's kingdom it could be. "You know what it's like to be feared. You could give him some advice for overcoming this."

Merlin huffed, "There's nothing to overcome. As soon as he interacts with anyone they know he's the same Elyan."

Arthur hummed low in his throat as he appraised Merlin. "I wish he knew the same."

Merlin rolled his eyes at the obvious arched eyebrow sent his way. "He doesn't like me."

"That's not true." Like Arthur hadn't heard the insults at the lake. The way he tried to avoid even seeing Merlin never mind talking to him. "Besides, that was different. He had... Gwen... to think of."

Merlin didn't even bother thinking why Arthur might have difficulty saying Gwen's name. To do so would mean they would have to talk about her. About them. Something he wanted to avoid as much as possible. So he pointed out all the other reasons why Elyan was wise not to trust or like him, and how stupid Arthur was to send him to someone who would probably stab him rather than listen.

Arthur heard it all in silence. His eyes amused and roaming as Merlin went into another good point. It was too tender a look from someone who wanted him to go search for one of his knights. Merlin didn't think he was listening at all.

When Merlin was finished, he rolled his eyes in much the same fashion as Merlin had before and let the matter drop. Instead he said. "I'm glad you're here Merlin."

Their small window of privacy was interrupted by Merlin's mother some moments later. He went to help her to a chair, her legs tired from such a long walk up and down stairs. Gaius, he knew, could fend for himself, and left him to wander around the room on his own.

"Mother," He scolded as he set her down. "What have I told you. Women here wear more clothes than that."

She had taken after Merlin in her fashion. That morning, when no one was looking, she stole one of Arthur's tunics and left her legs bare as she wandered about the castle.

While he knew people kept their distance from him because of his known reputation to eat them, he knew some of them had grown bolder in the past few days. Lingering looks from guards and knights had progressed to conversations. The other morning Merlin had accompanied Gaius and her on their walk and watched in horror as one knight gave her a flower. Sewing it in her hair until it shone out like a flag to all they passed that he had managed to give her something.

"I didn't think Camelot had such things," She had said to Merlin in wonder.

He knew what she meant. Surrounded by stone it was hard to imagine any nature surviving in this place. So he let the guard get away with it. If only because she was so happy.

A hand clamped down on his thigh as they were sitting for supper.

Arthur had called his most trusted knights, and Agravaine, down to dine at his table. The whole thing was revolting. He could see his mother turning her nose up at the smell as well a few seats down. The two of them had been called in for this special meal as a sign of goodwill. Really, Merlin was just thinking it was a way for Arthur to prove a point. To show that if two creatures of magic could sit down to a meal like everyone else they would be able to coexist together in other matters. He knew Arthur had been having trouble from the council. With more than one witness to attest to their good behaviour tomorrow's meeting would probably go better.

Unfortunately for Arthur he hadn't just chosen people Merlin liked. He could see the knight from the other morning, sitting directly opposite his mother, he was trying to engage her in conversation that didn't involve turning her nose up at food. Merlin hadn't been pleased.

Then there was his other problem. Agravaine. The man had been gone to who knew where when Merlin arrived with his mother. Now back, and still proclaimed a hero in the eyes of the court, it was hard for Merlin not to just jump him now and rid Arthur of one more traitor. But if he did, he mused, it would definitely give grounds for Arthur to kill him. The council would probably be ecstatic.

So far the man had behaved admirably. He started at first to see Merlin. Actual fright came over his face which had some of the knights hiding laughter behind their hands. After that he had spared his glares for when Arthur wasn't looking or Merlin did something particularly barbaric that warranted a crass look. Which was often.

"He's touching my mother," Merlin heard himself hiss.

Arthur pulled his head closer, so as not to be overheard by the others. "You were never this concerned at the lake. She must have had plenty of suitors. She's not exactly ugly."

He heard Arthur laugh as another hiss escaped his mouth.

"I'm sure she can handle herself," Arthur amended when he was finished, and leaned back into his seat. He was attracting a few stares sitting so close.

The rest of the meal Merlin tried to keep himself in check. He managed it, barely, yet when Arthur called an end to the dinner he, and his mother, were the first ones out.

He had meant to warn her to be careful. But when they got back to Arthur's rooms they didn't have the privacy for Merlin to complete his private words. Elyan was there. The knight was sitting, sullen, at Arthur's table. Picking away at the fruit that had been brought up he actually spared a smile for Merlin when he came in.

"Do you mind?" He asked, and when Merlin's mother was the one to leave he realised it wasn't him that was being spoken to.

Alone, Merlin warily approached the table. He had a feeling this had been set up somehow. Arthur probably knew Merlin would be the first one to return to his chambers. Or, at least, he had meant to create a diversion and sent Merlin on ahead with the promise of joining him later.

Elyan didn't pull a knife on him as he sat down. Nor as the minutes stretched.

"Arthur tells me you need someone to talk to," Merlin started, since Elyan was waiting for something.

The man nodded, steeling his hands. "I know we haven't always gotten along. But you didn't stay behind when Arthur came after me. Nor did you stop the Druid boy from fulfilling his wishes. Did you know he wouldn't kill Arthur?"

It seemed like a genuine question. One which Merlin should have answered with a 'yes' and allowed this little treaty of theirs to continue. "No. I actually wanted the Druid to do something. I hadn't realised just how cold Arthur is."

"Compared to you?"

Merlin kept quiet at that.

"So how do you get past it? I hurt so many people while I was... influenced. Guards, Arthur, I still can't remember everything I've done. I've been thinking about how to ask forgiveness. I actually have to some people but they keep telling me it wasn't my fault. I don't know what to do."

"Right." He didn't know what to say. Comforting people had never been his strong suit. The furthest he had ever went with soothing a person was when he was telling them everything was alright before drowning them. So he didn't try comfort. "Do nothing. Your mind will sort itself out."

Elyan laughed. It was the first time he had looked happy in weeks. "Thank you."

He got up, keeping a wary distance as Elyan did the same. They went around opposite ends of the table, Elyan to the door and Merlin over to where Arthur kept his furs. The man himself came in just as Elyan neared the door.

"Everything sorted?" He asked, looking like he already knew the answer from his smug grin.

"I'm going to take some of the guard's shifts if that's alright with you My Lord," Elyan bowed.

Arthur nodded, expecting this sort of answer as he sprouted off the times he had already slotted Elyan in for.

"But that's not what I said," Merlin argued.

Elyan smirked back at him. "I know. I figured whatever advice you gave I would do the opposite. You're a heartless hunter after all, what would you know about remorse."

Merlin pouted all the way to the fireplace, he didn't like being played.

"Cheer up Merlin," Arthur called as he steered Merlin's mother into the room.

He saw Elyan on their door a few nights later. The man gave him an odd look before returning his eyes forward. The look was answered when Arthur came in later telling Merlin Elyan thought it odd they were still sharing a room. The king had answered it was to preserve Merlin's mother's dignity. That Merlin didn't want his mother to be put in a compromising situation and it ending up with who knew how many of his fellow knights dead. That still didn't answer why Merlin was still there.

It seemed Elyan was still slightly hurt that his almost brother in law had taken up a new interest so quickly. Merlin had a want to remind the man that he was there before Gwen. But refrained when Arthur came and lay next to him on the furs again.

Elyan's discontent with Merlin mounted, until one day he accompanied them on a walk. Arthur had told him to stay close, in case of any unwanted attention from courtiers or servants. He knew that anyone could hide a knife.

The knight had done his best to stick close as Merlin and Gaius took his mother down to the gardens. Gaius had told her about them the day before. She had been delighted and insisted immediately that she be shown them. Arthur said she was being spoiled as they set out that morning. Not in an unkind voice. He sounded quite longing as he told Merlin's mother to "Pick a few that take your fancy. The room could use a bit of colour."

She did as he asked and plucked some of the finest flowers in Camelot's gardens. Merlin had never seen her so girlish before. At the lake she was usually the one tutting at the others. Looking after the young, and more often helping Merlin heal from his recent adventure. He sometimes forgot that when his father met her she had probably been one of those girls. Lying at the lakeside and enticing his father... nope, not going down that route.

"What do you think of blue?" She asked, holding a bright blue flower in his face.

"It goes with your eyes," He complimented sliding it in her hair with the others. "How about some red? I think Arthur will like us more if we show a bit of patriotism."

His mother hummed considerately, telling Merlin to take Gaius to the bench not far from them as she went in search of them. She had adapted to her legs faster than Merlin did. She could walk at a slow pace, steadily, for quite a long time now. He was beginning to wonder just how long she had stayed on land before his father sent her back.

"Balinor was a kind man." Gaius was staring after his mother. He had taken to her quickly too. Almost too fast. It seemed like they had met before, and not just when he came to the lake seeking help from Merlin.

"You knew him?"

"Well. He had a position in court before Uther decided to rid the land of magic. He would often go down to the lake. I thought he was merely visiting some dragon he wouldn't bring to the citadel."

"You know my mother," He chanced, wanting some answers today.

Gaius nodded. "I helped her deliver you. Another secret I thought I would take to my grave. Balinor made me promise however. I couldn't help but keep it, especially when there was a chance he could be dead."

"Deliver me?"

Gaius further scarred him with more joys of human reproduction.

"Quite different from how merchildren are born I'm guessing," Gaius chuckled over Merlin's panic. He could hear Elyan laughing too from his place a few steps away.

"Why would women do that? It's- It has to hurt!"

"Extremely," Gaius agreed, still laughing. "Your mother was almost as shocked as I was. Balinor didn't do her any favours either by giving her back her tail. I wonder, sometimes, whether you would have been born the merfolk way if he had."

"Wait!" Merlin stopped, his mind focusing on that one detail. If his mother still had her legs when he was born then how did she have her tail again? "Who turned her back?"

Gaius patted his knee, his gaze already on Merlin's mother who had appeared from around the corner. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

His mother wasn't alone. He could see Elyan tense up then relax as one of the guards trailed after her. He held in his hands a multitude of colours, which Merlin thought only a few his mother had picked. It was the same guard that had made familiar advances before.

He took the flowers his mother handed to him, and helped Gaius up at her bidding. Yet he didn't let his gaze stray from the guard. For one, he was speaking something low in his mother's ear. There was also the fact that he had one of his hands on her waist. Not high on it either.

"We can make our way back by ourselves," Merlin tried, keeping his tone as polite as possible to the guard.

He waved off Merlin's offer anyway with a scoff. "Just because you don't need me doesn't mean I can't escort you back."

A stern grip on his arm stopped Merlin from doing anything untoward towards the guard. On all the way back he saw Elyan repress a smile as he watched Merlin reign himself in again and again.

"Oh no," His mother said as they reached the room, she was sorting through the flowers she had brought up. One seemed to be missing. "I must have forgotten it. Merlin-"

"I'll take you," The guard suggested before she could call on Merlin.

"Go with them," Merlin hissed to Elyan as soon as they left.

The knight looked like he was going to resist, but left anyway.

Alone, Merlin tried to arrange the flowers as best he could. He knew his mother would just redo it when she came back, but it was the only thing he could think to do. Arthur wasn't to be back for a while. He had meetings until evening. Even when he came back Merlin knew he would be ignored until exhaustion called him to sleep. It wasn't the first one of these days Merlin had lived through since coming to Camelot.

The door banged open just as the sun set. He had thought Arthur was back early, until he saw it was Elyan. The knight was struggling a bit, as Merlin saw his mother writhing in his arms. She was hissing and cursing at him worse than Merlin had ever heard her. He hadn't even heard half those ways to kill someone, yet she did. Arthur was after her, his hands out in a soothing motion as he tried to calm her verbally.

"It won't happen again," He said, much sternly than his other words.

Elyan set her down on the bed. Merlin wasted no time in asking what had happened while Arthur tried to keep her in the room. Elyan answered that there had been an incident with one the guard and his mother. Merlin's suspicions had been right. He had grown bold the more times his mother didn't deny his advances. So bold in fact, that he managed to slip them away from Elyan's line of sight. When he found them again the guard had Merlin's mother pinned against a castle wall.

"He was... well it's a good job your mother's not helpless."

She had torn through his shoulder and part of his chest. Elyan said that Gaius was able to save his arm, but he wouldn't be able to do his duties like he once had.

"He won't be doing any duties at all," Arthur said, having overheard their conversation. "As soon as he's well I'm having him stand trial."

"For what?" Elyan asked.

He didn't sound completely puzzled. In fact he sounded proud that this man wasn't getting away with his actions. But there was something Merlin didn't' understand here. The law, and it seemed that there was no problem as far as it was concerned about the guard.

His mother wasn't married. Nor was she a noble woman. The law had no grounds for why a guard couldn't force himself on her. But Arthur managed to find a reason anyway.

"She's a guest. My guest, which gives her royal privileges. One such being protection from being taken advantage of."

Satisfied, Elyan went to deliver the news to the rest of the castle about Merlin's mother.

Hunith had pulled herself up and stalked to the window for a while. He wanted to go over and see if she was alright. Then again, she had just had more human meat than the two of them. If she wasn't angry about what happened she would be about being pulled off her food.

But Arthur got to him before he could. Pulling him to the other end of the room he spent minutes there apologising and telling Merlin it wouldn't happen again.

"I'm just surprised you managed to pull her off. She's stronger than me," Merlin said. Which was true. He figured it had to be because of his human blood when he was younger. Older, and he had accepted it might not be that. She just might always be stronger than him.

Merlin saw the guard a few days later. He had went to fetch Gaius for his daily walk when he spotted the man unconscious on a pallet. It would be so easy to finish what his mother started, Merlin thought.

"Now Merlin," Gaius snapped, seeming to know what Merlin was thinking as he took his hand and led him out.

True to his word the knight was put on trial when he was recovered. Merlin and his mother had to sit through it. Hunith recounting what the guard had done to her, and hissing back at Merlin when she was finished that, "I should have just finished him off. They're going to kill him anyway."

"Yes, but that's not how they do it here mother."

Agravaine was absent from the trial. Yet when he came back he had more than enough to say about Arthur's decision about executing the man.

"He's a loyal knight. For all we know he was trying to restrain the creature."

Arthur narrowed his eyes, "I'd thank you not to treat such creatures like they aren't in this room uncle. And he wasn't. There was more than one eye witness. Not to mention other testimonies that show the guard had been planning this for some time. I was well within my right to execute him."

The tone left no room for argument. Agravaine knew this, yet opened his mouth as if to say something. Then stopped as if remembering his place. The restraint he used on himself didn't extend to his eyes however. They shone with blue anger. Something Arthur should have took note of instead of staring at Merlin in apology.

"Of course my lord," He eventually said. "I was just expressing some others opinions. Preparing you for the arguments that may spring up from this decision."

The anger was gone as Arthur looked back at his uncle. Merlin had never known someone so oblivious, and so blind in his life.

"And I thank you for bringing this to my attention. Now if there isn't any other problems, I have matters to attend to." The dismissal clear in his voice.

Agravaine didn't even bow as he left.

It was purely by chance that Merlin stumbled across him a week later.

Arthur, in a mood of spontaneity, had dragged Merlin up to the turrets. A blanket had been laid and the two of them were watching the sunset. Romantic for anyone else. A cause for mocking and joking when it came to the two of them.

They spent half their time hanging over the white stone playing who could find the most familiar faces. Arthur was in the lead, purely because he was the king and it as his job to know everyone.

Merlin was about to call out Gwaine's name when Arthur stroked back a wayward hair. "It was in the way." He offered.

Gwaine was gone when he looked back. Sneak.

So Merlin tackled him to their abandoned blanket, losing the game he was never going to win by forfeit. He kissed Arthur to get his mind off gloating. One soon turned to two, and before Merlin knew it he was clutching the king for warmth as his tunic was stripped from him.

"Do that thing," Merlin begged, grinning when Arthur hissed and clung to him from the cold.

"What thing?"

He was as naked as Merlin now, and made his annoyance at being cold show as he turned them over. A blanket under him and Merlin on top he was sufficiently barricaded from the icy winds.

He dove his hand between them, trying to remember how Arthur had done it that night he tore his throat out. They hadn't done anything like this since his first night in Camelot. Arthur hadn't dared since the threat of his mother became more off putting the longer they were there. He was sure Arthur was going to suggest alternative accommodation any day now. Especially now.

"Again," Arthur huffed, reigning in his amusement by adjusting Merlin's grip on them.

It was probably the wind that had them coming so quickly. The whole experience was exhausting however, and had them napping as soon as they got back to Arthur's rooms. Curled up next to the fire there was nowhere else Merlin wanted to be.

He woke up a few hours later restless. It was probably the cold winds earlier that had reminded him as a merman he didn't feel it. So he decided to go the dragon's cave for a swim.

He yawned as he rounded the corner to the lower levels, stopping when he saw a familiar head round into the same hallway. Agravaine stared back at him, the two of them at a stand still. Merlin saw something tugged into his sleeve. It was parchment of some kind, but with the limited view he couldn't figure out what.

"Merlin," Agravaine nodded in greeting. Going for the friendly approach it seemed.

"Agravaine," He nodded back, waiting for Agravaine to walk away first.

He thought about going back to Arthur's rooms. But he was itching to swim. So he continued down into the catacombs, stopping again as something tickled his nose.

He ran back to Arthur's rooms.

"Someone's poisoned your waters," He gasped when he got back.

Arthur blinked blearily up at him from the fireside. "What?"

"Someone's poisoned your waters. It's just like the lake. I know that smell anywhere!"

Arthur bid him to calm down, awareness coming over him quickly. He was out the door before Merlin could catch his breath. He came back in almost the same state as Merlin had.

"Someone's poisoned the waters," He said, like Merlin hadn't just told him that. "There's dead fish and-" He stuck his head out the door to call for Gaius.

Gaius came to the same conclusion too. A quick call of the knights led to them sat around Arthur's table wondering who would do this.

"Oh, I saw Agravaine," Merlin said without thinking.

"My uncle?" As if even the thought was abhorrent.

"He was coming from that direction and he had something under his sleeve. Seems a strange place to carry something."

Arthur hesitated before sending someone out to check the archives. Merlin asked Gwaine what they were. It turned out that was where they kept the plans for the castle, along with other important documents like trade routes and maps for the kingdom.

The man came back with eve more bad news. He had checked everything, but the siege tunnel plans were nowhere to be found. Another explanation told Merlin that they were the secret routes underneath the castle where people could sneak in and out for supplies and attacks when under siege.

All eyes turned to him when they put together the thing Agravaine was carrying with the missing tunnel plans. He didn't see why. It wasn't his fault.

Arthur caught their attention again as he went into action.

"Hypothetically my uncle has these plans. Who would he give them to?"

Morgana's name hung heavy in the air. Betrayal lingered behind Arthur's eyes as he still refused to accept the obvious.

Still he did what was necessary and organised a search party for the missing plans, and another for Arthur's uncle. The second one came back much quicker with the news that Agravaine was gone. More and more Arthur was forced to accept the inevitable.

The chaos extended to the next day. Arthur was adamant that Agravaine wasn't in charge of this deceit, and sent people out everywhere in the hopes he was just lost somewhere.

He was finally forced to accept Agravaine was a traitor when he rode in along with a horde of Saxons. Even the sight of those men set Merlin's blood boiling. They were responsible for poisoning his lake. His mother was already yelling at the guards to let them out. She wanted blood, not only because she hadn't fed in two weeks.

The guards let them out under someone's orders. Either Arthur realised how valuable they could be in this battle or they were scared what Merlin's mother would do to them if they kept her from this feast.

It was madness in the courtyard. Lines had been drawn, red mixed with black as soldiers clashed with each other. Merlin soon lost his mother in the mess. He heard a few people screaming in terror and guessed she was down that way. Really, Merlin was just concerned with finding Arthur. The moron wouldn't last three minutes without him.

He found the idiot further into the city. He was shouting commands and abuse at the two figures on horseback. Agravaine sneered down at them, smug next to Morgana's cold observance.

"Arthur!" He called, and someone must have let slip what he looked like since his path to Arthur became clear in seconds. No one tried to hit or fight him. Those that came too close soon scampered out the way.

It was his call that made Arthur falter, the Saxon he was fighting managed to get a lucky hit in. Merlin felt his heart stop as Arthur fell. Running the rest of the way over he soon had the Saxon a tattered, bloody mess on the stones. Arthur was fine. Losing blood but fine.

He let Merlin help him up, scolding him from being out of the castle before trying to throw himself back into the fight. It took Merlin using his extra strength to haul Arthur off.

"They're going to break through anyway." That much was obvious. This was a planned attack. No short defence will be able to hold them off for long. "Let's get you back before that happens."

Arthur didn't go without a scuffle. All the way back, despite the fact the fighting masses were parting around them, he dove himself here and there, fending people off. When they finally got back to the safe area that knights had cordoned off Arthur was bloody from head to toe.

"I swear I did my best," Merlin said to Gaius as the man frowned at Arthur.

The wound the Saxon got in turned out to be more serious than first anticipated. There was a broken rib along with a deep gash on his chest. Somewhere along the way he had managed to gather more cuts on his arms, and one on his face that left him more of an enticing mess than usual. Especially to Merlin's nose.

He was left with the king as Gaius called over the remaining knights for a secret talk. Arthur was trying to listen in, his head bobbing not so secretly.

"Stop it," Arthur murmured, his head still swerving. Merlin didn't know who he was talking to until Arthur said again to stop.

"I'm not doing anything," Merlin snapped, looking into the nearest bowl of water to make sure he wasn't doing anything.

"You're giving me that look," Arthur reasoned.

Merlin looked into the bowl again as he tried to see what look Arthur meant. All he saw was his own confused face staring back at him.

"I'm not giving you a look."

"Yes you are. It's the look you get when you're either hungry or... well a different kind of hungry."

He supposed he might have been given Arthur a look. "You are covered in blood." He argued, always a good smell for him.

Whatever Arthur might have retorted was gone as Gaius and the knights came over. Their faces stern, Merlin knew that this wasn't going to be pleasant for Arthur.

It wasn't. They were planning on taking Arthur out of the castle. Like Merlin, they believed Camelot to be a lost cause today and wanted to regroup for another assault before it was too late. Just like before Arthur wasn't happy. He had to be physically restrained by Percival and Gwaine as Elyan led the charge out.

"Merlin," Elyan called, motioning for him to join at the front. He did, only because he was tempted by the smell of death they were heading over to. "I want you with me. If anyone comes too close, you have my permission to eat them. Just make sure you're quick."

"Good to know," Merlin huffed.

They made it out through the grit of their teeth. Morgana and Agravaine had the secrets to the castle, but Arthur knew more than them. Unfortunately he wouldn't share them, so they were stuck with Gwaine's plan. It became clear the lower down in the castle they went just how Gwaine planned to take them out.

"She'll know," Merlin argued as they breached the dragon's cave. "She'll have guards posted. There's no way I can lead you all out unless you're willing to drown."

"Well you're going to have to try Merlin," Gwaine snapped, pinning Arthur's arms behind his back while Percival checked his wound. They didn't want to get it too wet. But they needed the armour off all the same. "Once you're out, we'll meet you in the woods near the valley of the kings. Go to the caves."

"I'll not forget this," Arthur spat, one in a long of memorable curses they had tuned out on their way here.

Gwaine let him go, sending him off balance momentarily and just right for Merlin to take him and lead him easily into the water.

The knights left without checking to see if Arthur was safe. Their trust in Merlin was both heartening and misplaced all at once. Arthur, sensing his defeat against Merlin, merely waited as Merlin got his bearings in the water. Never before had he tried to swim without his tail. With it however, he would be tempted to go underwater. Going under meant breathing in the poison. He did it unconsciously so it wasn't like he could just not breathe.

"Merlin, either let me go up there or get me out of here."

That snapped him out of it. "You're going to have to help me here."

It was one of the quickest swimming lessons he had ever received. Arthur, with his wounds, ended up supporting Merlin along with himself as they ducked and dove their way through Camelot's tunnels.

True enough Morgana had men posted in every chamber she could think of. She wasn't taking any chances. Neither was Merlin. He got them quicker than they could run and soon the water was a running red as they fought their way upstream.

Out, and Arthur was more tired than he let on. He was hard to carry, and Merlin feared he may have swallowed some of Camelot's waters. It would kill a merperson slowly. A man like Arthur would only need a sip before succumbing to it.

It took time for them to stumble to a safe haven. That being a copse of trees where Merlin couldn't smell any enemy soldiers for the time being.

"We'll set off again in a minute," Merlin said, catching his own breath.

Arthur hummed, his eyes closed and head leaning back in almost sleep. If Merlin hadn't been watching him so closely he would have missed the movement of his lips as he murmured, "Thank you."

Merlin couldn't help teasing him. Even now, when they were on the run for their lives. "What was that?"

"There's a good chance I've been poisoned so I'll say it again. Thank you," Arthur bit out, one eye peering open to glare at Merlin. "I forgot how nice it is to have you in a crisis."

"Aw, good to know you admire my bloodthirsty nature sometimes."

Arthur huffed in a barely breathed laugh. "It hasn't been the same without you."

"I know," Merlin said. He could only imagine what terrors Arthur had committed without Merlin there those long months telling him he was an idiot. "Of course that was all your fault."

"Of course."

They both grinned.

"Your mother's probably causing hell," Arthur said.

Merlin felt his stomach dropped. His mother. He had forgotten to get her in the escape. Arthur perked up as well as if he had the same idea.

"She's probably fine," Merlin muttered, sure of it. She was tough. She had almost ripped a guard in half because they touched her. Let loose. "She's probably sitting on your throne wondering how to reproduce more humans for her to eat."

"Probably."

The worry didn't leave either of them for a few minutes. Not until Arthur said, "The knights are still in the castle. If they're smart, they'll get her before coming to meet us."

"Yes."

The silence was more comforting after that. Arthur collapsing back on to his tree stump in exhaustion while Merlin ran through possible rescue scenarios for his mother.

A foot nudged his. Arthur's thick boot waving in for another brush. His eyes were still open, watching Merlin closely.

"You'll stay with me, won't you?" he asked. It was probably one of the only times, apart from when Gwen had left him, that he had heard Arthur sound unsure of himself.

He nudged, his forced on boot against Arthur's. "You said coexist. I'm not leaving."

Another huff, then Arthur was pulling himself up. "In that case, we have Camelot to save."

If Arthur took his hand as they went to the designated meeting place Merlin wasn't one to point it out. He liked this new arrangement, even if it meant he was in danger every few days. It was a small price to pay for a future with Arthur.


End file.
